Remnants
by DeathTheRabbit
Summary: "You know, someone once told me that you can pick up the pieces of a broken heart, but you can't pick up the remnants of a shattered heart." Jin glanced up at the night sky. "I know now that it's true. And I also know that some people are just too broken to be fixed. But I'm not yet ready to give up, no matter how broken I become. There are those that still need me."
1. Prologue

_The sun rarely shone in Water Country. That day was no less dreary than the last, the sky dark and overcast. Jin didn't mind. He often found that warm, sunny days made him feel ill, and was never eager to feel that way. He was used to the cold, foggy air that rose up from the sea and lakes. The scent of the ocean soothed him, and reminded him that he was a master of the waves, the fog, the rain, and the snow and ice that sometimes fell, that nothing could stop him from achieving what he desired._

 _Fire Country was different. It was warm, and the sun was almost always shining, something that Jin would need to get used to. The warmth of the sun made him dizzy, and forced him to take long breaks. His journey to Konoha had been easy up until now, and he was almost certain that the sun was going to be the death of him, that he would burn up beneath its bright, warm rays._

 _Jin raked a hand through his black hair, closing his eyes to calm himself. When he opened them next, he removed the headband that marked him as one of Kiri's shinobi. He stared down at the headband, staring into the violet eyes that stared back at him. He hated those eyes._

 _It took a moment for him to compose himself, to slip back into the charming smile he had learned to wear, had perfected with years of practice. Men and women alike were all charmed by him, by his eyes, his delicately pale skin, that was almost, but not quite, sickly looking. They were charmed by every word he spoke, every look he flashed them, the way he seemed to hold an ethereal beauty that most could not match. Reminded of this, Jin felt more himself again. He was confident in himself again, comfortable with who he was, and what he could do._

 _The warmth of the Fire Country would not beat him. With a weary sigh, Jin rose to his feet and continued on his way towards Konoha. The Hokage knew of his arrival; a letter had been sent ahead of time to discuss cooperating in the interest of both countries' mutual benefit. Jin was to act as ambassador to discuss these matters, and then would be at the Hokage's disposal for whatever he needed, so that they could complete their task._

 _Jin was not fond of the Fire Country so far, but he supposed that the village of Konoha would have much to offer him in the way of information and perhaps access to beautiful kimonos that he did not have access to in Water Country. Either way, he was hanging on to the hope that things would get better, and perhaps that the heat and sun wouldn't be so bad inside the village. His hopes were soon to be dashed._

* * *

 _Shadows hid the faces of two men speaking hidden within the trees. Their voices were hushed and secretive, as if this were something they didn't want overheard by outside parties._

" _They haven't caught on yet. We should have another three months before they figure anything out, and at least another six months after that before they figure out how to fix their problem. Everything will in motion by then, and it won't be possible to stop us by then. Everyone will be in place." The first man whispered, his gaze shifting along each branch and bush, in search of anyone who could overhear them._

 _A resounding crack rang out through the trees, startling the birds perched in their nests into flight. "There's no way they can figure it out now." The second man let out a contemptuous snort, allowing the first man's corpse to drop to the ground, his neck bent at an impossible angle. "You will not let anything slip again." A moment later, he was gone, his departure hidden by the shadows and smoke he had let loose. He was certain that their plan would proceed more smoothly now._

 _Several miles away, a child screamed. The sound resounded throughout the soundproofed building, warning the other children of what fate was soon to befall them. The scream was cut short a moment later, replaced by the snarls of something distinctly inhuman._

 _The other children were scared. Who was to be next? What was going to happen to them? Were they even going to survive? Most of the children who were beckoned away never returned, and those that did return, only returned for a few moments, soon to be pulled away to who knew where. The ones that returned always returned with dead eyes._

 _The children were scared._

* * *

" _Hatake-san, is Team Seven ready for a B-ranked mission? Normally, I would not assign a B-ranked mission to a genin team. However, you have been requested personally for this particular mission." The Hokage spoke quietly, eyeing the copy-nin quietly, as if gauging his reaction._

" _Oh? I see." The copy-nin's expression didn't change except for the narrowing of his one visible eye. However, even if his expression_ had _changed, his mask would have hidden it. "Team Seven are well on their way to being ready for the Chuunin Exams, even Naruto. With how they proved themselves protecting Tazuna-san and taking on Zabuza and Haku, I believe they would be capable of taking on a B-ranked mission."_

" _I see, I see…" The Hokage breathed a heavy sigh, and then took a deep breath. "Kirigakure has requested our help in a matter that extends far beyond their reach. They have sent one of their jounin as ambassador to explain what exactly is going on, and to assist in this matter. Shiraishi Jin-san is expected to arrive sometime this week. I have been assured that despite his...quirks, he is more than adequate to assist in this matter. That being said, once he has arrived, it will be up to you and Team Seven to make sure he settles in, and to make friends with him. Without his friendship and cooperation, this will not work. Do you understand, Hatake Kakashi-san?"_

" _Yes, Hokage-sama." Kakashi bowed his briefly and took the file the Hokage extended to him._

" _Good. You may go. I'm sure Team Seven will be excited for their next B-rank mission." At those words, Kakashi turned and left the room._

 _Once out in the bright sunlight, he made his way towards the training grounds, where he was sure that his students awaited him. When he arrived, he avoided them, instead making his way into a tree where he could read the file he had been given and watch his students become more and more impatient with every passing minute._

 _Kakashi shifted his gaze to the file and opened it. He was met with the photo of a man who smiled charmingly back at him. The expression on his face made him wonder if this 'Jin' was actually a prostitute. The expression on his face practically screamed 'come hither, and I'll please you beyond your wildest fantasies.' Kakashi wondered if he should expose his students to someone like this, when, ironically, his preferred genre of literature was something they probably shouldn't be exposed to, either.._

 _He continued reading down the page, curiously now. Most everything before the age of twelve hadn't been included in his file, not even where he had grown up, or when he had graduated from Kiri's academy. It did, however, mention that Jin had once been ANBU, and had also formerly been a hunter-nin. Kakashi supposed that Jin's reputation was rather impressive, considering that he was only twenty-three, a mere three years younger than Kakashi, who had also been ANBU. It was suspicious, though, that so much was missing from his file._

 _Kakashi glanced up when the birds in the surrounding trees burst into the sky, startled by Naruto's unintelligible shriek of impatience from below. He supposed it was about time he go down to brief his students._

" _KAKASHI-SENSEI, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Naruto shrieked, his lips drawn back in an irritated snarl, and his face red with his impatience. Sakura only looked mildly irritated, though he was sure that she was seething inside. Sasuke was the only one who looked as if he didn't care, his dark eyes bored and impassive._

" _Yo, I was just helping an old lady across the street." Kakashi replied, smiling beneath his mask. And then his expression grew grave. "Never mind that, I have some news for you…"_


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Ahh, yes, I have my identification right here. Give me a minute to find it. This hot weather has me a little out of sorts. Please forgive my unpreparedness." Jin bowed his head apologetically, smiling as he finally retrieved his identification from the pocket inside his kimono, which barely hung onto his shoulders, leaving them mostly bare.

One of the two shinobi on gate duty took the identification card from him, looking it over carefully. Clearly, they had already been informed of his arrival, because almost immediately, he returned it to him. "You can go on in. Hokage-sama is expecting you." He seemed confused about Jin's comment about the weather being hot, though. It wasn't a particularly warm day, after all. He seemed to think better of questioning it, though, and instead waved him into the village, where he was soon escorted away by another shinobi.

Jin was disappointed to see that it was no less hot inside the village than it was outside. It seemed that he would have to completely restrict his activities to when it was dark out. Not that that was strange or anything. He was more of a nocturnal creature anyway, since he had spent most of his childhood days sleeping during the day and his nights...Jin shook himself out of that line of thinking, knowing what dark path it led down.

Before Jin noticed it, they were waiting in front of the Hokage's doors to be allowed inside to see him. He was surprised that he had managed to get there without passing out along the way. The warmth of the sun was really taking a toll on him, after all. He supposed that he had better invest in a parasol and a fan if he was going to spend any amount of time here. He mostly hoped that he could get some place to stay that had air conditioning. He'd be in trouble otherwise.

Jin made his way into the room after his shinobi escort nudged him forward, somewhat irritated with his daydreaming. "Hokage-sama." He bowed low in respect, almost exaggeratedly so. He was genuine, though, so the Hokage waved it off.

"Welcome, welcome. I trust you had an easy journey, Shiraishi-san? No trouble along the way?" The Hokage asked, glancing at the other shinobi in the room with them. Jin would have recognized him anywhere. After all, he stood out quite a bit. Hair sticking straight up like he'd been electrocuted, plus the masked face was a combination that almost certainly meant it could only be one person. Hatake Kakashi, the copy-nin.

"The journey was uneventful, though, I must admit that this heat is rather debilitating. Thank you for asking, Hokage-sama." Jin bowed once more in respect, keeping a rather charming smile on his face. "Thank you for agreeing to this allyship."

"Ahh, yes. Before we make that official, I believe it is time to find out what exactly the Mist wants from us. What _you_ want from us." The Hokage leaned forward across his desk, resting his elbows on on it and steepling his fingers. "We cannot help without all the details." Though it was unspoken, Jin knew that the Hokage was suspicious of their intentions. It wasn't often that occurrences like this happened, after all, and after the previous clashes with the Mist, it was to be expected that Konoha would be suspicious of them.

"Yes, yes, of course. Forgive my rudeness. Mizukage-sama and I thought it would be dangerous to send more information in a message. This is a rather serious matter, after all, though we don't yet have all the facts." Clearing his throat, Jin paused for a moment, a small frown on his face. "Recently, there have been children going missing in Kiri, some of them turning up weeks later in courtesan houses, or in shallow graves. There's a problem with this, though."

"A problem? How is this something you can't resolve on your own?" The other shinobi finally spoke up, his one visible eye narrowed slightly.

"You didn't let me finish, Hatake-sama." Jin replied sharply, though not completely impolite. Kakashi watched him quietly. "As I was saying before, the catch is that some of the children we've found in these courtesan houses are not from Kiri, or any other villages in Water Country. Some have claimed that they're from Konoha, Suna, and some of the other villages, which leads us to believe that this is not just Kiri's problem."

"Is that so…" A thoughtful expression grew on the Hokage's face, his brows wrinkled and a contemplative frown on his face. "There have been children going missing from Konoha, and some of the surrounding villages, more than usual...do you have a list of the children that have been found so far?"

Jin nodded slightly. "Yes. We've included photographs of every child we've found, even those that were found in shallow graves. However...there were older remains in the vicinity of where the shallow graves were found, which leads Mizukage-sama to believe that this has been going on for a lot longer than we've been aware of. We have not been able to identify those remains as of now." He retrieved a scroll from the pouch he wore, opening it and retrieving the collection of photographs from inside. He set them down on the Hokage's desk, frowning a little. "I believe that what we're dealing with is a human trafficking ring, which brings us to why I'm here, and why I requested to work with Hatake-sama."

The Hokage took the photographs, frowning quite a bit before storing them away in a drawer. He would have someone work on identifying the children in the photos when this meeting was over. He glanced back at Jin, waiting for him to continue quietly.

"I wish to infiltrate as many of the courtesan houses in Fire Country as I can to see if we can find out how they're taking these children. I already have experience in infiltrating courtesan houses. However, since this is a much larger problem, I wish to have someone to back me up from the outside. I requested Hatake-sama because I have heard that he has the power of the Sharingan. Unfortunately, I am rather susceptible to genjutsu, and it would be a great help for someone like Hatake-sama to be able to cover that disadvantage. There can be no errors, if we wish to find the culprits responsible for this problem." Jin finished his explanation, bowing his head. He hoped that revealing one of his weaknesses would be enough of a show of trust to gain their cooperation.

"I see, I see. Very well, then." The Hokage glanced at Kakashi and nodded slightly, and then back at Jin. "Is there any other business to attend to?"

The shinobi in question shook his head and bowed low. "No, Hokage-sama. However, if there is anything you need from me, you need only ask. From this point on, I am your tool to be used as you please, and to be tossed aside when I have outgrown my usefulness. I thank you for your hospitality."

"Very well then. Hatake-san, please show Shiraishi-san around the village, and help him get his living arrangements sorted out." The Hokage dismissed them, watching Jin bow once more and follow Kakashi out of the room.

Once they were out of the Hokage's office, Jin glanced at Kakashi and offered him an apologetic smile. "Forgive my sharpness earlier, Hatake-sama. I had not finished what I was saying. Thank you for your assistance in this matter, and for showing me around. Please feel free to call me Jin." He bowed low to him, and then straightened up.

"Don't mention it. Before any of that, though, you need to meet my students. They will be working with us, after all." Kakashi had reverted to his typical demeanor, that easygoing nature, and mild apathy. He turned towards the training grounds where his students would be waiting, and probably already had been for hours.

The corner's of Jin's lips shifted downwards into a frown, though he didn't protest. He wasn't sure it was a good idea to include these students of Kakashi's in the danger they would likely be facing. He was sure that the Leaf's training program was nothing compared to the Mist's, even though the Mist had banned the practice of forcing the graduating class from the academy to kill each other. It had been a brutal practice, but Jin had grown strong from it, had learned a lot from it.

"Ahh, Hatake-sama, I heard it was you who faced Zabuza-sama and Haku-sama, and that you were there when they passed. I apologize for any trouble they caused you, though I wish the outcome had been different. Zabuza-sama and I trained together for quite a while, and Haku-sama and I had something in common. I am, however, glad that I did not have to strike the killing blows. Mizukage-sama was about to send me to take care of them when the report came in that they had already been dispatched." Jin bowed his head briefly in respect for their departed spirits.

Kakashi glanced at Jin for a moment, studying his mournful expression. He wondered briefly why he continued to use 'sama' honorific for whomever he seemed to speak about. Then he shrugged it off. The Hokage _had_ told him that Jin had some...quirks, and wondered if this was one of them. It didn't matter either way, so long as no harm was done. He was still suspicious about the missing information from his file, though, and supposed that he had better keep a close eye on him in the future, and do what he could to find out what he was hiding. It was important to make sure that he didn't put Konoha in any danger.

"I see. He seemed to have a change of heart in the end. Naruto seemed to change his mind. Both he and Haku died fighting." Kakashi didn't offer words of comfort or anything of the like; he knew how hollow words like that were.

"I see. That is the way they would have wanted to go. I'm glad that they will at least be at peace. Thank you." Jin glanced up at the sky, shielding his eyes from the bright sun. "I would appreciate it if you would show me to their graves one day. I need to retrieve Zabuza-sama's sword before it falls into the wrong hands, and I would like to pay my respects." He glanced at Kakashi and offered him a small smile, glad when he nodded in assent.

The pair fell into a comfortable silence, neither feeling the urge to speak. Both were wary of the other, though it didn't show in Jin's relaxed demeanor or in Kakashi's ambling pace. It wasn't long before they reached their destination, and Jin was startled when an orange blob began to yell at Kakashi for being late. From the way Kakashi chuckled, Jin could tell that this was a common occurrence.

"Yo, I just got caught up showing Jin-san around. He seemed rather lost, and Hokage-sama wanted me to babysit him." Kakashi said, seeming to enjoy using Jin as an excuse for his lateness. "Now, to business. This is the shinobi I spoke of before that we will be working with, Shiraishi Jin-san." He glanced at Jin for a moment before pointing at each of his three students in order and introducing them. "Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke are all my students. They may not appear so, but they are very capable."

Before Naruto could get angry at Kakashi for that last remark, Jin bowed lowed to them. "Hime-sama, Uzumaki-sama, Uchiha-sama, it is very nice to meet you. Please just call me Jin. There's no need for honorifics with me."

All three students seemed baffled by the way that Jin spoke, Sakura most of all. He had called her _princess_ , and she wasn't sure if she'd ever been complimented like that before. No, she mostly just remembered being called 'billboard brow' and other things of the like. She averted her gaze, not quite sure how to react to being called something like that.

Naruto, on the other hand, peered at Jin suspiciously. "Ne, Kakashi-sensei, are you sure this guy is a jounin? He looks like a prostitute." While that was sort of how Jin typically dressed, he was not expecting a twelve-year-old to say something like that to him. Sakura appeared to not be expecting it, either, her mouth gaping as she stared at Naruto. However, she quickly regained herself and whacked Naruto on the back of his head _hard._ Jin had to admit that her strength was pretty impressive, though it did seem to lack some control.

"NARUTO! That's rude! Watch your mouth!" Sakura snarled at him, reminding Jin of a very angry tiger. When she turned her gaze on him, he was almost expecting to be yelled at, too. "Sorry about him. He can be an idiot."

That comment earned a 'hmmph' from Sasuke, the only one who hadn't spoken yet. Apparently, he agreed with Sakura, though it seemed reluctant. The general consensus seemed to be that Naruto was an idiot, though Jin wasn't so sure that was the case.

"Don't worry about it. It's alright." Jin smiled charmingly at Sakura and Sasuke, wondering if they would see through his facade. He did not like being called a prostitute, but he was certain that his smile was natural enough to fool these three children. After all, it was usually enough to fool hardened shinobi.

As expected, none of the three seemed to notice anything off about his smile. He was certain that Kakashi had noticed, though. He turned to Kakashi and smiled. "Your students are cute. They still have not faced much yet, have they? Zabuza-sama and Haku-sama were probably quite an eye-opener, I'm sure. I hope they didn't cause too much harm. Zabuza-sama was always a bit...dark. Anyway, I would like to get to know you all better, but I've been traveling for quite a while, and I'd like to get some rest. Perhaps this evening we can all get together again? I would like to see all of your skills, and then I will brief you on what we will all be doing." Jin bowed his head.

"We'll meet here later. You may go, except Naruto. You can help Jin-san find someplace to stay for his duration here, since you said something so rude." It was obvious that Kakashi was smiling beneath his mask. "No complaints, either. Perhaps Jin will buy you some ramen, hm?" That was all it took to get Naruto to agree.

Jin, apparently, had no say in the matter, because no sooner had the words left Kakashi's mouth did he disappear, leaving Naruto to drag the poor Mist shinobi back into the village. "Ahh...Uzumaki-sama, please slow down. I'm rather tired, and this hot weather is really taking its toll…" He protested, though Naruto didn't seem to hear him.

The genin dragged him all throughout town, stopping only when they reached a ramen shop by the name of Ichiraku, apparently his favorite. The owners seemed to recognize him when Naruto pulled Jin in by the wrist, and sat down on one of the stools. Jin was exhausted. While he typically had great stamina, he had been traveling for several days, in weather that he was not yet acclimated to.

Jin huffed and sat down next to Naruto. "How do you run in this heat?" He asked while the genin ordered ramen for the both of them. "It's bad enough walking in it, let alone running."

"Eh? What are you talking about? It's not hot out." Naruto stared at him like he was a whole other species, but then his expression changed. "You know Zabuza and Haku? You mentioned them."

"Yeah, I did. I graduated from the academy a year before Zabuza-sama slaughtered the graduating class. After he did that, we worked together for a while. He was one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, but I'm sure you already knew that. We learned a lot about swordsmanship together. I met Haku-sama shortly after Zabuza-sama did. I didn't know what they were going to do." Jin replied, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh.

"Huh." Naruto didn't have much more of a chance to reply, because they were served their ramen, and he immediately dug in. He seemed to enjoy it, so Jin began to eat his own ramen, deciding after the first bite that Konoha had excellent food. However, he was horrified when Naruto continued to order bowl after bowl, when he hadn't even finished half of his. He was going to be broke at this rate.

"Ahh...Uzumaki-sama, I'm not going to have any money for an inn, if you keep this up." Jin chuckled nervously. While he wasn't opposed to sleeping out on someone's roof or in a tree, it was far too warm out, and the sun was still shining brightly. He was relieved when Naruto finished his last bowl, and forked over just about everything that he had to pay for it. "...I guess I'll just find a nice tree to sleep under, or someone's roof. I'm glad you got enough to eat, at least."

"Eh? Oh…" Naruto finally seemed to realize what had occurred. "That was all the money you had?" He seemed to be trying to come up with some way to resolve the problem. "Hey, hey! You can just stay with me for now!"

Jin was flattered by his offer, but unsure if that was a good idea. "Are you sure, Uzumaki-sama? I don't want to impose, and I really don't mind sleeping out in the fresh air." He tipped his head to the side slightly, smiling hesitantly at Naruto.

"Yeah! I kinda made you spend all your money, anyway...besides, I wanna know why you're here. It's weird for foreign shinobi to come here. Come on, come on!" Naruto got up and grabbed Jin by his wrist, dragging him along behind him.

"Uzumaki-sama, please slow down!" Despite his exhaustion, Jin didn't have any trouble keeping up with him. He was, however, horrified when he saw the inside of Naruto's apartment. "Nope. Sorry, I'll sleep in a tree. I can't live in a place so messy."

Jin pulled his wrist away, waved, and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Naruto bewildered. He reappeared in the training grounds where he'd met Kakashi's team, and shuffled over to what looked like a suitable tree. He was alone here, now, so he jumped up into the tree, settling on a suitable branch. He stretched his legs out, and rested his head against the tree, closing his eyes. It wasn't long before he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! This story will most likely have slow updates since I am going to college full time, and working part time. However, I'm sure you will enjoy the story. As a side-note, a courtesan is a person who performs and provides companionship to those who pay, and could also be considered similar to high-class prostitutes, though prostitution isn't the main thing they provide. They are essentially performers, often skilled in music or dance. Thanks again for reading, and I'd love to hear your feedback!**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei, is he dead? He doesn't look like he's breathing." Jin woke up to the sound of whispering, already tensed up, as if expecting an attack. He relaxed, though, when he recognized Naruto's voice and decided to pretend he was still asleep. He was rather curious about these Leaf shinobi. They were, perhaps, people he could learn from.

"Ahh, I doubt that, Naruto. The Mist doesn't exactly have any weak shinobi, especially ones that would die just after a long journey." Kakashi replied lazily. "But I suppose you could always check his pulse. It wouldn't do any harm, so long as you don't wake him up."

There was a scraping at the tree a moment later, as if Naruto had decided to do just that. It wasn't much longer after that that Jin felt warm breath against his face, as if someone were leaning too close, and then he felt two fingers at his throat feeling for his pulse.

"Ne, you're right, Kakashi-sensei! He's alive!" Naruto shouted at Kakashi, making Jin jump and fall out of the branch. Naruto had shouted way too close to his ear. He landed on the ground with a thump, just lying there for a moment with his eyes shut tightly.

"NARUTO!" The sound of Sakura's shriek made him cringe, and reminded him vaguely of his mother, though he was sure that she was a perfectly nice girl. A moment later, the kunoichi was by his side, nudging the Mist shinobi gently. "Jin-san, are you alright?" When he didn't reply, her tone grew more worried. "Jin-san?"

Finally, Jin lifted his head, slowly dragging himself into a sitting position. "I'm fine. This is fine." Then he got to his feet slowly, wincing a little. He was relieved to see that the sun had at least set. It wasn't quite as warm out anymore. He could deal with this. "Ahh, now that I'm awake, and you're all here, I suppose we can get started, yes? Please don't mention what just happened. I'm fine, and I'd rather get to work."

Both Sakura and Naruto, who had opened their mouths to speak, immediately shut them. It seemed that they were ready to get started, as well. That was a relief, since they would be able to figure out a plan of action right away.

"Alright, so I know your names, but I know nothing about you. I'd like to get started by getting to know all of you, and then perhaps it would be good to see your skills, and then try some trust exercises. This will not work if we can't trust each other to have each other's back if one of us gets in a pinch. Hatake-sama, is that agreeable?" Jin turned his gaze on the jounin, studying him quietly while he waited for an answer.

"That seems reasonable. Naruto, you can begin." Kakashi agreed, nodding at the genin, who had leapt out of the tree.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! My favorite food is ramen, and I want to be Hokage someday!" For some reason, that didn't really surprise Jin. He didn't bother asking any more questions, since he already had a good feel for his personality.

Sakura went next, smiling brightly. "I'm Haruno Sakura, and I like…" Her voice trailed off as she glanced towards Sasuke. Jin got the meaning, and rolled his eyes. He waved his hand at her, as if dismissing her, and nodded towards Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke. I'm not going to tell you anything about myself because you're a foreign shinobi. We have no idea of your true intentions, and it would be stupid to chance giving away anything about myself." Sasuke glanced at Naruto, a malicious smirk on his face.

Sasuke had no time to react before Jin struck him hard across the face. He crouched down to his level and stared at Sasuke with narrowed eyes. "Excuse my use of force, Uchiha-sama, but I will not tolerate that kind of behavior. With the way you answered just now, and with that look you threw at Uzumaki-sama, I learned a lot more than you think. You think you are better than your teammates, smarter than them. You don't think you need them. I can guarantee you that you will regret how you treat them in the future."

Sasuke glared at Jin, hesitantly putting his hand to his face. "You don't know anything. You're just a foreign shinobi, and at best chuunin level. You don't tell me how to act. It was stupid of you to be sent here."

"Very well, then, Uchiha-sama, if you think you can beat me, how about we spar? I'll make you a deal, if you can beat me, I won't boss you around, and I'll admit that you're better than I am. However, if _I_ win, then you will treat your teammates with respect, and admit that you are not all-powerful." Jin straightened up and glanced at Kakashi with a smirk. "Hatake-sama, would this be acceptable? I will not hold back."

Kakashi gave a nod, stepping back to give Sasuke and Jin room. He nudged Sakura and Naruto back with him onto the sidelines. If things got out of hand, he would, of course, intervene. This would be a good chance to learn more about the Mist shinobi, and perhaps it would teach Sasuke a lesson.

Jin smirked and took several steps back until they were several feet apart. He stared at Sasuke, watching him get into into a defensive stance, kunai in hand. "Let's begin."

Sasuke made the first move, dashing towards Jin. With his free hand, he threw a few shuriken, and then leapt at him with his kunai raised. The blade swung down as Jin whirled out of the way of the shuriken. He ducked the blade and whipped around behind Sasuke.

Jin grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and yanked him backwards, letting go a moment later to vanish in a puff of smoke. Sasuke stumbled backwards, nearly falling, and narrowed his eyes. He activated his Sharingan as soon as Jin poofed away, searching for any sign of him.

As soon as he spotted him in the branch above, Sasuke threw another shuriken lightning fast. Not fast enough it seemed, as the Mist shinobi puffed away, reappearing behind the genin. "You're going to have to do better than that." Jin whispered in his ear, and flipped away again. Sakura could be heard from the sidelines, cheering for Sasuke, as expected.

Sasuke whipped around, swinging the kunai in a swift arc towards Jin, who caught him by the wrist without trouble.

Jin kneed him in the ribs, and twisted the kunai out of his grip. Then he spun once, pooling chakra in his foot. The second time he spun, his foot connected with Sasuke's stomach, sending him flying into a tree several feet away. It took a moment for Sasuke to rise to his feet, coughing in an effort to catch his breath. When he did, he put his hands together, forming rapid hand seals.

The Mist shinobi didn't catch the words he shouted, but understood immediately when fire shot out at him. He ducked, rolling underneath the stream of fire towards Sasuke. He pooled chakra in his fist, shoving it up under Sasuke's chin despite the fact that he ended up singeing his shoulder in the process.

Sasuke went flying into the air, soon followed by Jin, who had kicked off a tree. The Mist shinobi overtook the genin in the air and pooled chakra in his foot again, flipping and slamming it down into Sasuke's stomach again. He went slamming down into the ground, and didn't get up as quickly, though he was on his feet again by the time Jin landed back on the ground.

"It is important for you to learn, Uchiha-sama, that there will always be someone better than you, someone stronger, faster, and smarter than you. There will always be someone you can't beat on your own." Jin spoke coldly, knocking him to the ground again with ease. "One of these days, you're going to need the help of your teammates. I'm sure you've already had situations like that."

When Sasuke didn't get back up, Jin smiled, reaching down and pulling him to his feet. "By the way, I'm not a chuunin. I'm a jounin, and I did a brief stint as a hunter nin. You didn't have a chance, especially if I had used my ace in the hole."

Sasuke glared at Jin, hatred clear on his face. He opened his mouth, as if to snarl something in reply, but Jin stopped him, shaking his head.

"That being said, you did rather well on your own. Once you learn to build trust with those who will be watching your back, you'll be able to focus better on your target. It's one thing to disrespect me, but do not disrespect the people that are watching your back." He lowered his voice. "Uchiha-sama, I do not know your circumstances, but I sense that something happened to you that you shoulder alone. I often find it easier to talk to strangers about personal things because they do not judge you, and you rarely ever meet them again. Which is why, if you would ever like to talk about something you can't talk to anyone else about, you're welcome to come to me."

Jin straightened up and put his hand on Sasuke's back, guiding him forward. "Don't worry, Hatake-sama, I haven't done any permanent damage to him." He said cheerfully, smiling at the masked jounin.

Right at that moment, Jin stiffened, his eyes widening in shock. Kakashi had already removed a kunai from his pouch, and before the Mist shinobi could stop him, had thrown it into the bushes behind Sasuke and Jin. "No!" He'd just sensed the familiar chakra coming from behind the bushes, and spun around, sprinting towards them.

The three genin all looked shocked to see this occurrence, and in Naruto's case, stared with his mouth gaping wide. Jin, on the other hand, had intercepted the kunai, knocking it from the air. He sent Kakashi a sharp glare before spinning around and pushing the bushes apart to look at their little spy.

"Hakaru-chan, I told you to stay home. It's dangerous here." Jin reached down and picked up the short boy who sat numbly on the ground. "You're not hurt, are you?"

The boy, dubbed as 'Hakaru,' shook his head slowly, shifting his sightless gaze towards Jin. "No. I fine. I not hurt." While Hakaru seemed to be the same age as the genin, his speech patterns were odd, as if he had never learned to speak properly. However, he had a radiantly happy voice.

"Hakaru-chan, you should have stayed home." Even though he had been frightened for the poor boy's life, he couldn't be mad at him, and instead turned to Kakashi and his students. "I apologize for the fright. Hakaru-chan doesn't like it when I leave him for long periods of time. Forgive us. He's blind, and can't do you any harm, though he's becoming quite adept at medical ninjutsu. Please don't hurt him. I didn't know he would come after me."

Kakashi narrowed his eye, studying the pair. "Very well. However, I need to report this to Hokage-sama. Speaking of which, tomorrow, you're required to report for interrogation. It's nothing personal. We need to ensure that your presence won't put the village in danger. Your little friend will likely be required to undergo the same thing."

Jin frowned a little, but nodded. "I understand. Assuming you can guide me there, I will most definitely be there on time. Hakaru-chan will be there, too." He promised, letting out a heavy sigh. "Anyway, back to what we were discussing before. You three all introduced yourselves, so now I'll share a little bit about myself."

Hakaru poked Jin's side, making a quiet noise like a yip. "I introduce self before you, no?" He asked slowly, frowning a little. "My turn. I speak first." He poked Jin's side again, more insistently this time.

"Ahh, okay, then Hakaru-chan. Go ahead. Introduce yourself." Jin patted his head affectionately, smiling as the younger boy approached the three genin, leaning forward as if to draw in their scents. "Don't mind him. He lived the first five years of his life in the wild." He said kindly when he saw their expressions.

"Jin-chan, _I_ say." Hakaru turned his attention back to the genin, smiling innocently. "I Hakaru. I twelve and half. I scared of dogs. You smell like fox." He pointed at Naruto. "You smell like flower." He pointed at Sakura. "You smell of anger." He pointed at Sasuke. "Hakaru like flower. Flower remind me of Raizo-chan. Flower scary like Raizo-chan, but flower also kind like Raizo-chan." Hakaru turned back to Jin. "Raizo-chan should be here."

Jin stiffened slightly, but merely patted Hakaru's head. He hastily spoke before the bewildered genin could ask questions. "Let's not talk about that now, okay, Hakaru-chan? My turn now, right?" When Naruto and Sakura nodded, he smiled. "You already know my name. I'm twenty-three. I graduated the academy when I was five, a year before the reform. I was promoted to chuunin when I was seven, and when I was thirteen, I was promoted to jounin. When I was fourteen, I was promoted to ANBU, though it would be best if you didn't mention that to anyone else. And then six months after that, I was trained as a hunter-nin. When I was twenty, I quit as a hunter-nin, and returned to my duties as a jounin. I specialize in infiltration, though I do have some rather interesting talents." The ghost of a smile crossed his face.

Kakashi seemed to be the only one who noticed that Jin hadn't really given anything away about himself. Sure, he'd told them of his shinobi career, but he hadn't said anything that could hint at his personality, or his intentions. He'd said nothing while he'd said everything. They knew nothing of how he'd grown up, or if he had family.

"Wow! You're a hunter-nin?! A real one?!" Naruto asked excitedly. "You should teach me some cool tricks!"

Jin couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, Uzumaki-sama. I can't give up village secrets." He went over and patted his head gently. "Maybe you'll pick something up if you watch me closely, though. That's how I learned a lot of what I know now. Anyway, I think you should all get going back home. I think I did quite a number on Uchiha-sama. It would be good for him to rest. Tomorrow night, after my interrogation, I'll brief you on what we'll be working together on. Hakaru-chan and I are going to get some rest, alright? If any of you need me for anything, I'll be here in this tree. Goodnight." He shooed them away and turned to Hakaru.

Without a word, the pair climbed up into the tree, settling down on neighboring branches. "Jin-chan, we pray Raizo-chan, yes?" Hakaru asked, already knowing the answer. He was just looking for confirmation.

"Yes, Hakaru-chan. We'll pray for Raizo, as always. He's watching over us from wherever he's at now." Jin replied softly, reaching over and ruffling Hakaru's platinum hair. He closed his eyes and put his hands together, listening as Hakaru did the same. "Raizo, wherever you're at now, we want you to know we miss you. As always, I'm fighting for you. One day, we'll see you again. Rest peacefully." The Mist shinobi turned to Hakaru when he was done and smiled at him. "Go to bed now.

And so they went to sleep.

* * *

"You're Shiraishi Jin?" The voice speaking was deep, and Jin couldn't help but smile. He already recognized the voice, having briefly crossed paths with its owner.

"That would be me, Morino Ibiki-sama. It's a pleasure to meet you. Your friend's name? It's only polite to introduce all parties in any situation." Jin sat down in the chair in the interrogation room, calm as ever.

"Yamanaka Inoichi." The second man in the room answered. "We will be conducting your interrogation today."

Jin gave a brief nod, smiling in almost an arrogant manner. "Very well. Do try not to scar up my pretty face. It's rather useful in my line of work." The facade he was keeping up now was slightly different from the one he had kept up with Team Seven, due mostly to the fact that he wouldn't have to be working with his two soon-to-be interrogators, and as such, was acting in his typical charming style.

It wasn't that Jin was trying to charm them, because he knew very well that that wasn't really possible with these two. He just figured that he had better act the way he normally did, otherwise the pair of interrogators would see that something was up. After all, it was sort of bad to have erratic behavior, wasn't it?

"Are you ready to begin?" Ibiki asked, seeming to ignore his arrogance. "Inoichi-san will be conducting the interrogation, unless I deem it necessary to find another way to make you talk." When Jin nodded his agreement, Ibiki gave Inoichi the nod to begin.

Jin didn't really mind Inoichi probing his mind. He didn't have much to hide, though he didn't want some things to get out where others could find out. However, he would trust these two to be discreet about they learned, knowing that they would never be able to reach the most closely guarded secrets of Kiri.

The Mist shinobi closed his eyes and allowed the Yamanaka to sift through his memories for anything that could be hidden amongst them. He began by sifting through Jin's earliest memories, knowing that it was possible to hide information within memories, if the one trying to do so was skilled enough.

 _Four year old Jin sat on the floor, staring down at his rusty kunai. His violet eyes never left the blade, even when screaming erupted from the kitchen._

 _They were fighting again. Mother and stepfather were drunk again, and judging from the sound of breaking china dishes, they were becoming physically violent again. He knew his stepfather would be able to easily subdue his wife. It always happened this way. Mother would drink and drink and drink while awaiting her husband's return from his duties as a chuunin, and on the way home, his stepfather would drink and drink and drink._

 _It wasn't long before his parents' rage was turned towards him again. This was how it always went. Jin was responsible for their money problems because he had insisted on going to the Academy to train as a shinobi. Ever since then, things had become progressively worse over the last six months as their broken, little family descended deeper and deeper into debt._

 _Jin's mother entered the room, blood dripping from her nose, and glared at her oldest son. A fire raged in her violet eyes, sending a chill down the child's spine. "What the hell are you doing here, you worthless brat? Shouldn't you be out earning your place at that damned Academy?! I already told you before that we're not going to pay for you to attend! You need to earn it yourself." She cuffed Jin over the head, though the boy didn't cry out, or even show any sign of pain. He'd grown used to being hit, and he'd certainly been hit harder._

 _Crying broke out in Jin's room down the hall, and Jin leapt to his feet. He hurried there and went inside. "Kao-chan, you've gotta be quiet. Mama doesn't like it when you cry, and papa will hurt you if you keep it up." He sat down next to his younger brother, wrapping an arm around him gently. The younger boy, only a year younger than Jin himself, began to cry louder despite Jin's best efforts to quiet him._

" _Why don't mama and papa love us?!" His voice rose into a wail, drawing the attention of their parents again._

" _Kao-chan, shh…" Jin tried to shush him, but it was too late. Their father, stepfather in Jin's case, was already at the door, glaring down at them._

" _What the hell did I tell you two about that wailing?! I won't have it in my house, you little ingrates!" He snarled, making Kaoru wail louder._

 _No matter what Jin tried, he couldn't get his little brother to quiet down, and it only infuriated their father further. The chuunin stomped over to them and slapped little Kaoru so hard that his head cracked to the side, making the little boy shriek and cry louder. He hit him again. And again. And again._

 _Jin leapt up and ducked in front of his little brother and took the next blow, and was sent crashing into the wall. He got up again and picked up the kunai he'd dropped when his stepfather had hit him. His hand shook, but he swung the blade at his stepfather, barely grazing the man as he spun around._

 _Their mother was in the doorway now, watching with dead, empty eyes. No expression crossed her face, as if she no longer cared about what happened to her children. She barely reacted when her husband grabbed Jin by the throat and slammed him against the wall._

" _YOU DARE ATTACK ME, YOU LITTLE BRAT?! I TOOK YOU IN WHEN YOU HAD NOTHING! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" Jin couldn't breathe, and his stepfather's shouting rang in his ears, only getting worse when his little brother began wailing louder. And then he could breathe again._

 _Jin slid to the ground, gasping for breath as his stepfather turned towards little Kaoru. There was nothing he could do as his enraged stepfather turned his fury on his son, dragging him out of the room while the child kicked and screamed, crying out for his older brother._

 _Eyes wide, Jin staggered to his feet, stumbling out of the room after his stepfather. "Kao-chan!" He picked up the rusty kunai on his way out, hardly sparing a glance for his mother, who watched with glossed over eyes, as if she weren't really seeing what was happening._

 _Out in the dingy living room, Kaoru had managed to free himself from his father's grasp, and had taken refuge under one of the chairs. Their stepfather stared at his son, snarling with rage. Perhaps if he had been sober, things would never have progressed this way._

 _As it was, he was too blind in his rage and too far beyond caring to realize the damage he was causing. He hadn't always been a bitter, angry man. No, once upon a time, he had been happy, carefree. Now, because of the money problems, he had grown bitter, his personality changing further at the death of the last of his friends. It still didn't excuse his behaviour, and despite how young he was, Jin knew that._

" _Papa! Don't hurt him!" Jin shouted as his stepfather shoved his hand under the chair, reaching for his son. His hand closed around Kaoru's hair, and he dragged him out. "PAPA!" Jin launched himself at his stepfather, raising the kunai and swinging it downwards against his shoulder with precision that he had begun learning at the Academy._

 _Blood pooled from his shoulder, but it wasn't a fatal strike. It wasn't even enough to faze him. Jin struggled to pull the kunai out to strike again. As long as he could keep the attention off of his little brother long enough for him to get away, everything would be okay._

 _Kaoru wiggled away, but instead of running to hide like Jin had hoped, he tried to help his older brother, hitting his father with tiny fists. It hardly fazed his father, and he formed chakra in his fist, slamming it against Kaoru._

 _Time seemed to slow down as Kaoru went crashing into the wall. Jin let go of the kunai still lodged in his stepfather's shoulder, and scrambled over to his brother. Everything seemed muted as Jin nudged his little brother, trying to make him get up. He didn't react, his eyes closed._

 _Blood dripped down over Kaoru's lip, and his head hung limply against his chest, as if he didn't have the strength to lift it. However, he didn't make a single movement to show that he was still alive._

 _Jin put his hand on his little brother's chest, trying to feel for a heartbeat, but finding nothing. He couldn't even see him breathing. "Kao-chan! Wake up, Kao-chan!" He cried, tears beginning to stream down his face. "Kao-chan!" He already knew that his little brother was dead, that there was nothing he could do to make him wake up. He had learned how to recognize death in his lessons at the Academy, had learned how to recognize when there was no chance of saving someone._

 _There was a snarl behind him, and his stepfather hit Jin so hard that he was seeing stars. "This is your fault, you little bastard!" He hit him again. And again. And again._

 _It wasn't long before his stepfather was done hitting him. He vanished into the bathroom to treat the wound Jin had given him, leaving the child to cry next to his dead little brother._

 _Jin's mother approached her son with a wet wash cloth. She cleaned the blood and dirt from his face and arms. Then she helped him change into a flashy kimono, not seeming to notice that her other son laid dead on the ground nearby. She pulled her son up and took his hand. "It's time for you to go to work." She pulled him along after her as she left the house, noting that he didn't struggle or put up a fight. She paused for a moment to use her chakra to cover up the cuts and bruises on her son's otherwise unharmed skin._

" _Now, you're not going to complain about this. You're going to do as you've been taught, and if I hear from Akane-sama about you trying to run away or hurting anyone, you won't get any meals for a week." She spoke coldly, her expression stern. She straightened up, smoothing out the wrinkles in her own kimono, and dragging her son along after her towards the shady courtesan house on the outskirts of the village._

 _Jin followed along silently, his expression dead and empty, as if he had nothing left to live for. His precious brother was dead. Because of him._

Inoichi went through the rest of Jin's memories in the same fashion. The only ones that were out of reach were the ones pertaining to his time in Kiri's ANBU and his time as a hunter nin. Despite those blanks that were not accessible, Inoichi seemed satisfied that Jin wasn't keeping anything from them.

"Now that you're done invading my privacy, I'm assuming I can go now? I do ask that you don't give Hakaru-chan the same treatment you gave me. Despite his sweet disposition, when you bring certain things up, he gets frightened and lashes out." His tone was light, despite having re-lived his darkest memories.

Without another word, Jin stood up and left the room, sending Hakaru in after him. He leaned against the wall outside, waiting until Hakaru was finished. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was shaken. He hadn't thought about that night for such a long time. Since the Hokage had arranged for Kakashi to host Hakaru and himself earlier that morning when he'd found out about Hakaru's presence, they'd been given a small room with two beds in his home, and he supposed that he should set up the small shrines he kept for both Kaoru and Raizo, and get them some flowers. That could wait until after they'd made some progress with their mission, though.

Hakaru popped out of the room after a moment, sniffing the air much like a dog. His lack of sight had enhanced his other senses, so Jin wasn't surprised when Hakaru found him easily.

"Hakaru-chan, now that we're done with that, you need to practice your speaking, alright? Find someone nice around here to help you while I'm gone. This mission is going to work the same way the ones back home do, alright?" Jin smiled at Hakaru, relieved when he nodded back and ran off to find someone to help him with his speaking. It had only been within the last few years that Hakaru had begun speaking, and he was trying to teach him slowly.

Jin went on his way towards the training grounds that Team Seven often inhabited, soon joined by Kakashi. Neither said a word as they made their way there, Jin smiling, and Kakashi's expression hidden.

Neither of them had any idea of what was going to happen that night.

 **Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! Sorry for the delay! I meant to get this chapter done sooner, but it ended up rather long. If you spot any errors, or spots of confusion, please let me know so that I can fix them. I'd love to hear your feedback. Thanks again, and have a great day!**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Jin leaned back against a tree, watching the three genin quietly. He had just relayed the information he'd given the Hokage to them, leaving out the explicit details. "Normally, I wouldn't let children like you get involved in something like this because of the risks a mission like this could pose to your mental stability. However, Hatake-sama has assured me that you can all take care of yourselves. Even so, the three of you will be on standby for the duration. You will be there only for backup, and to listen in."

Before Naruto, Sasuke, or Sakura could protest, Kakashi spoke up. "Jin-san has more experience in this area than any of you do. For now, do as he says." He glanced at Jin. "You said you had a plan?"

Jin nodded slightly. "Yes. For this morning, I thought it would be good to enter some courtesan houses to see if we can locate anymore of the missing children. If they were taken by the same people, they'll have fresher memories of where they were held, and who took them and from where. From there, we can work out a better plan to catch those responsible for this. If all goes well, this mission should be completed by tomorrow or the next day, and should be relatively risk free, assuming the three of you do what you're told."

Naruto nodded reluctantly, wanting to interrupt, but thinking better of it. Sasuke and Sakura both nodded, as if waiting for him to continue.

"Now, to get into the courtesan houses without arousing too much suspicion, I'll be playing a wandering courtesan. The four of you should remain hidden, because you're all rather recognizable. You will be able to hear everything that goes on through earpieces. If something unfortunate occurs, do not intervene unless I say something. It wouldn't do to have my cover blown." Jin smiled faintly. "I am plenty capable of taking care of myself. Here," he took a map out from inside his kimono, "I circled all the courtesan houses in the village this morning. There are only three. We'll start with this one." He pointed to a spot on the edge of the map of the village. "Are you ready?"

When he earned three nods from the genin, he turned to prepare himself.

* * *

The first two courtesan houses turned up no new information or children that had been picked up by the same traffickers they were after. So far, there had been no problems, much to Jin's relief. He knew how dangerous these sorts of establishments were with the sort of clientele they 'served' from first-hand experience.

When he entered the third courtesan house, he began to feel uneasy. Jin had learned to trust his gut instinct, and his gut was telling him that they were in the right place to find more information.

"Suzume-sama." Jin greeted the older woman at the front desk. The lobby area appeared as if it were simply the entrance to a small inn, and while it maintained that front, it primarily dealt in the business of lust and companionship, run by Suzume Aiko, a woman notorious for having fought her way to the top of the business. Even back in Water Country, her name was well-known.

"Who sent you?" Suzume fixed him with a steely gaze, sizing him up like a predator sized up its prey. With her head held high, she leaned against the front desk. As dainty as she was, the fierce, proud expression on her face would deter anyone from trying to push her around.

"Anami Michiko-sama sent me to see if I can find temporary work here in the village. The other two places I've visited have turned me down. I'm quite skilled in _serving_ people. My name is Shiraishi Jin." Jin was a natural, as if he belonged in this sort of role. He ignored Naruto's snort of laughter that came through his hidden earpiece, smiling charmingly at Suzume. Anami Michiko was a fierce woman built like a bull, big and intimidating, who ran a successful courtesan house in Kiri.

"I see. If Michiko-san sent you, then you must be good...you have a pretty face, too. No visible scars. You'll do. Come with me." Her voice was low and raspy, though it sounded as if her voice had once been pretty like her face showed the signs of her former beauty.

Jin followed Suzume through the door beside the front desk, glancing into each room as they passed. "Anami-sama said that you are a kind mistress, Suzume-sama. Thank you for taking me in."

Suzume didn't reply as she led him to the door at the end of the hall. She opened the door and ushered Jin inside. There were many children inside, dead expressions on the faces that were still round with baby fat.

"Stay here for now, while I confirm that Michiko-san sent you here. Stay out of troubled." Her voice was a growl, and she watched him suspiciously for a moment before turning and leaving to send a message.

Jin knew that he didn't have much time now. It was likely that Suzume had ways of contacting people within moments, and it wouldn't be long after that until she found out that he wasn't what he said he was.

Upon closer inspection of the room, Jin noticed that there weren't just children. There were men and women of varying ages, lounging about. In the center of the room stood a table cluttered with dirty plates and glasses. Each face was focused on him now, though they hardly seemed to care that there was a stranger in their midst.

"Okay, I don't have much time here. I'm going to get you out of here as soon as I can, but I need some information first." He spoke directly to the children, knowing that the older men and women were too far gone into this profession to be swayed by his words. "I need to know if any of you were taken somewhere else before you were brought here? Somewhere scary, where there were lots of other children?" He recalled the vague descriptions the other children had given him about where they had been taken before they were sent to the courtesan houses they were found at.

The children all stared at him, their expressions never once changing. Then, slowly, one child raised his hand. "I was." His voice was flat and empty, as if he no longer held any emotions. "It was dark. The man took me into a room and then I woke up here."

"What man? Can you describe him?" Jin glanced back at the door, listening for the sound of approaching footsteps. He was worried that if Suzume returned, they'd never get the information they needed from the child. Turning back to the little boy, he smiled and offered him his hand. "It's okay. You can tell me. I'm going to get you out of here, alright?"

"He was old with lots of wrinkles. Grey hair." The little boy replied flatly, staring at Jin's outstretched hand vacantly. While it barely narrowed down the suspect list, at least they had _something_ to go on.

"Can you tell me where you were taken from?" Jin continued speaking quietly, edging backwards towards the door and leaning his weight against it. He could hear footsteps, more than one set.

"In the market area. In the evening." The boy's tone never changed, even when several fists began pounding on the door. Either this was a common occurrence, or there was something seriously wrong with the boy. All the other courtesans began to look slightly anxious, casting worried glances at each other as the pounding on the door continued.

"Thanks. Hold tight now, and we'll get you out of here soon." He finished his sentence just as the door burst open, knocking him to the ground. Jin was up within seconds, spinning around to face whoever had just broken down the door.

Two men stood just behind Suzume, who was dusting off her kimono. She looked tiny and frail in front of their hulking frames, standing at least a foot shorter than them. Her eyes narrowed when her gaze fell on Jin.

"You're who you say you are. Michiko-san confirmed that. However, you lied about why you're here. According to her, you're a thief. A common pest. I have given her my assurances that you will be punished swiftly and harshly." Her voice was as cold as the snow in the coldest, most forbidding parts of Water Country.

"Ahh, well, I suppose it can't be helped, then. Sorry, Suzume-sama, but I'm not going to let you do that." Jin smiled at her charmingly, looking about as dangerous as a flower. "Bring it on."

At the snap her fingers, Suzume's men went right for Jin. While the men were hulking beasts that were definitely stronger than Jin, they were slower than he was. However, they made up for that in intelligence.

Jin ducked below their fists, smirking. He knew he had to get them out of the room and away from the other courtesans to prevent any collateral damage, but that proved pointless as one of the men grabbed the boy that Jin had just been talking with. He froze, staring at the two men. They were smarter than he'd originally thought. Of course, there was no way he was going to let them hurt the child, so he did the only thing he could do and raised his hands in surrender.

"I give up. Just put the child down. He hasn't done anything wrong. Don't hurt him." His voice and expression grew serious as he watched the two men smirk. They were not shinobi, so there was no doubt that he could easily eliminate them with his eyes closed if he really wanted to show off. However, he would not risk any harm coming to the child.

"Not a chance of that. We're not letting him go until you've been punished. Come on." The man without the child clamped his hand down on Jin's shoulder, squeezing it so tightly that despite his high threshold for pain and general indifference towards it, he winced. He steered Jin out of the room, struggling to contain his smug urge to gloat.

Jin went along quietly, allowing both men to take him into a separate room that looked as if it were often used for whatever punishments these two men dealt out on a daily basis. The ominous red stain on the carpet seemed to prove that point. Since they seemed to be Suzume's personal guards, it was likely that they got to do whatever they wished. Jin had heard of the ruthlessness of Suzume's personal guards before.

"Put the child down, and let him go. I won't try to escape. There's no windows, and only one door leading out of here." Jin tried bargaining, frowning. These were not ideal conditions to be fighting in. After all, the room was tiny, and as small as Jin was compared to them, they took up quite a bit of space. He thought briefly about asking for backup through the earpiece he wore, but quickly dismissed it. He would only do that if the situation grew more serious.

The man set down the child, but didn't allow him to leave through the door, frustrating Jin. Then, in unison, both men descended upon him.

The first man shoved Jin against the wall, and held him there by the shoulders, while the second man smashed his fist against Jin's stomach. The shinobi coughed, his eyes widening slightly. His gaze shifted towards the boy, and he jerked his head towards the door to try to get him to escape while the men's attention was on him.

Without a word, the boy turned and left the room quietly. That was all Jin needed to take action. Now that the little boy was out of the way, he could take the two men out without worrying about casualties.

He tore himself away from the pair of them, and ducked beneath their grasping hands. Swiftly, he slipped behind them and shoved the first man's head against the wall repeatedly until he fell unconscious.

The second man seized his chance while Jin was distracted, reaching out and clamping his hand around his wrist tightly. There wasn't enough room for Jin to duck out of the way, and it angered him. He hated fighting in close quarters like this. It made his speed virtually useless, since the room was so small that there was nowhere for him to go.

Despite that, Jin only needed to hit the man once after he'd gathered chakra in his fist to put him out of commission. Wrinkling his nose in disgust, he stepped over the two men on his way to the door and slipped out of the room. Suzume was there, but there wasn't anything that she could do to stop him. After all, she was just a frail old lady, and he had taken out her personal guards.

With a withering glare sent in Suzume's direction, Jin made his way down the hall and back into the lobby. Someone would be by to collect the children later. "Hatake-sama, I assume you heard what the child said?" He asked through the earpiece.

"Yes. We can figure out how to put that information to use once you get out here." Kakashi's voice came through, slightly staticky.

"Got it. I'll be out momentarily." Jin paused in the lobby to go through the drawers in the front desk. He supposed they were worth checking out. The only way Suzume could have gotten ahold of the little boy who had been snatched was if she were buying from the kidnappers. He thought that would be a lead worth looking into.

Jin left the courtesan house, rubbing his now sore wrist. As he went down the street, returning to where they had discussed the plan in the training grounds, he was joined by Team Seven, and then Hakaru. He wasn't surprised that Hakaru had followed him. He knew how bored he got with learning how to speak properly.

"Hakaru-chan, I thought I sent you off to work on your speech. I know how boring you find it, but it's something necessary for you to do." He scolded gently as Hakaru came up alongside him.

"But you hurt. Your wrist." Hakaru took his hand, pooling chakra into his other hand. It began radiating green, healing the damage that had been done to to Jin's wrist. "You reckless." He didn't seem to notice that Jin's shoulder had also been injured, something that he didn't mention to Hakaru.

"Hakaru-chan, it was a tiny room. Speed doesn't mean anything if there's nowhere for you to go. I am not reckless. I get caught in situations like that all the time. I'm used to it by now." Jin stuck his tongue out at Hakaru, knowing he wouldn't be able to see it. "Now go back to Hatake-sama's place and be good. I still have work to do, alright?"

"Fine. But Jin-chan come home tonight! Promise!" Hakaru pouted at him, knowing exactly what effect it had on the older man.

"Aww, man. Don't pout at me like that. I wouldn't dare leave my dear little brother behind. What we're doing isn't that dangerous, alright? Now, off you go. I promise I'll come back." Jin ruffled his hair and sent him off before focusing his attention on the path in front of him. He had already gathered his bearings, and knew where he was going without having to be guided.

Naruto still took the lead, though, bolting off in front of them all. Sakura instead turned her attention to Jin, pretending like Naruto didn't exist. "Jin-san, Hakaru-san is your brother?" She asked curiously.

"Ahh, no. I found him out on one of my solo missions about seven or eight years ago, I think. He was four or five, then." Jin liked reminiscing about his times with Hakaru, especially about the times when he was younger. "When I found him, Hakaru-chan was making a little burrow in the ground." He couldn't help but laugh a little.

"What about his family?" Sakura asked, frowning a little now. The question made Jin sigh and shake his head.

"That question makes me think that you still have yours, and that they're decent people. Haruno-hime, not everyone is as lucky as you are. There are some people that lose their families at a young age, or are born into broken homes, or are cast out. As for Hakaru-chan, I don't know. He was completely wild when I found him. He only started speaking a few years ago. Just before…" Jin trailed off, shaking his head. "I've been taking care of him ever since. He might as well be my brother."

Sakura nodded her head, thinking over what he had said.

When they reached the training grounds again, Jin sat down and patted the grass around him. Once everyone else took the hint and sat down, he smiled. "It's time to begin planning now with the information we've gathered. My suggestion is that one of you and myself go out later tonight and try to draw out the ones responsible for this. Any objections?"

None of the genin said a word, instead casting glances at each other and nodding in agreement. Kakashi, however, decided to finally say something. "How do you plan on doing that?" He already seemed to know the answer because he nodded his head as soon as Jin began to speak.

"I'll use a henge to make myself look like a little kid. One of you three can pretend to be my older sibling. I doubt they'd try to take you. Almost all of the children taken have been younger than you three." Jin studied the three genin. "Haruno-hime, I think you would be best suited to the role of my older sibling."

Sakura looked surprised, but it was Naruto who protested. "What about me?!" He at least seemed relieved that Sasuke hadn't been chosen. "Can't I play your big brother with Sakura-chan?!"

Jin couldn't help but smile. "No. It would be better if it were only one of you. As for why I chose Haruno-hime...she seems more suited to the role than you two. Uzumaki-sama, you don't look like you have the faintest idea of what it's like to have a normal family, let alone a sibling. As for Uchiha-sama...you're too angry. You reek of your rage and hatred. You wouldn't cut it as an older brother. I'm sorry, but it's the truth." He ignored it when Sasuke clenched his fists and looked away without a word. Naruto, however, seemed hell-bent on protesting.

"I know I can do it!" He glared at Jin. "Come on, let me try!" Sakura cuffed the back of his head, making him yelp and send a resentful look at her.

"Sorry, Uzumaki-sama. I've made my decision. No more protests. Now, Haruno-hime, I'll meet you in the market at dusk. Uchiha-sama, Uzumaki-sama, you two will remain with Hatake-sama while we do this, and keep an eye on the situation. I don't want you to intervene, though, unless I say something. That's all." Jin smiled, and stood up. "I'm off to take a nap. It's too warm out here. It makes my bones ache."

What odd parting words.

* * *

Jin darted over to Sakura and leapt into her awaiting arms. "Nee-chan!" His henge was well done. He looked like a five year old version of Sakura, cotton candy pink hair, and bright green eyes.

"Jin-chan!" Sakura squealed, spinning him around gently. As expected, Sakura was the right pick. Even though she didn't have any siblings, she was good with children.

Sakura put him down and took his small hand with a smile. "Come on, let's go get you your treat, alright?" She was acting as if Jin had just gotten back from somewhere. With a large smile, she walked down the street.

They both got sticks of dango and wandered around the village. Most everyone was packing up shop for the night and heading home. There weren't many people on the streets anymore since the sun had just slipped down past the horizon.

"Okay, Jin-chan, you wait out here. I'll be going in here to pick out some ingredients for dinner tonight, okay?" Sakura smiled down at him once they'd stopped at a little store that specialized in groceries and the like. She ruffled his hair and let go of his hand. She turned and went inside, glancing back once.

Jin was alone on the street now. He began to skip around in a circle, smiling brightly and humming a sweet song. He finished of his dango and waved the stick around like a sword, as if he were fighting invisible enemies. It was difficult for him to swing around clumsily because of all his extensive training in swordsmanship, but somehow he managed it, as well as masking his chakra.

It wasn't long before Jin was approached by a man who smiled down gently at him, as if trying to reassure him. "Well, lookie here. What's a sweet little kid like you doing out here all alone?" He asked, crouching down to look at him in the eye.

"Whaa? Nee-chan is getting food!" Jin pointed at the store that Sakura had entered and pouted. "She's taking a long, long time!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure your sister will be out soon. In the meantime, do you want to go get a treat? I'm sure she'll be just fine with you leaving with me." The man smiled innocently at him, holding his hand out.

Jin automatically took it, smiling brightly up at the man. "Okay! But we gotta come right back! Nee-chan gets worried really easily!"

Just then, Sakura hurried out of the store, her eyes widening when she saw what was happening. "Jin-chan! Come over here!" She rushed over, noticing how the man's hand clamped around Jin's wrist tightly.

As soon as Jin felt the hand clamp around his wrist, he began trying to tug himself away. "Nee-chan!" The man's grip was far too strong, and as Jin felt for his chakra signature, he froze. This wasn't just some random trafficker. This was a shinobi.

Sakura grabbed Jin's other hand and tried to yank him away, frowning. "Let go of him!" She was startled by how angry the man got as soon as she took Jin's hand, her eyes widening. Still, she did not let go.

"You brat." He snarled, contemplating his options. "We don't usually take children as old as you, but since you've interfered…" His other fist came swinging around out of nowhere, slamming right against Sakura's cheek and sending her crashing to the ground.

Jin fought to escape, but not so much that the man would suspect he wasn't just an ordinary little kid. "Nee-chan!" He wailed.

He was caught off guard by the fist that went flying towards him next, and when it connected, everything went dark. His last thoughts as he faded into unconsciousness was whether or not Kakashi would intervene despite his wish for them not to. He hadn't sensed his or Sasuke's and Naruto's chakra in quite a while.

* * *

"Jin-san, wake up." Sakura's voice brought him out of his unconsciousness and he slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to clear away the blurriness. He looked around slowly, frowning a bit. His henge had thankfully remained intact, which meant that he hadn't yet been found out.

Sakura leaned over him, frowning, her cheek swollen and bruised badly. After a moment, he realized that Sakura's voice wasn't the only thing he could hear. No, he could hear the quiet buzz of people talking, children whispering.

Slowly, he sat up and looked around, frowning when he saw dozens of children huddled in ragged groups, glancing around fearfully as if expecting to be attacked at any moment. A door creaked open, and the whispering stopped as all the children looked over at the door.

A young woman left the room, dragging along a dead-eyed looking child behind her. She passed him off to another man and turned to the waiting children with narrowed eyes. Without a word, she circled them, studying them like they were prey. With a smirk, she reached down and clamped her hand down on a little girl's arm, dragging her back towards the door she had entered from.

The door slammed behind her and the child and the whispering started up again. Jin turned to Sakura. "What's all this about?" He whispered, frowning. "Where are we?"

"I don't know. I woke up in here a few hours ago. I...I think this might be where they've been taking the children." Her voice shook faintly, and she glanced around. "That woman has been coming in and out grabbing different children every hour or so. I keep hearing these awful screams come from the room, and not all the children come back out."

Jin frowned. "Don't worry, Haruno-hime. I think I understand." While he didn't know what was going on behind that door, he knew now that this wasn't simply a trafficking ring. He watched the children quietly, trying to formulate a plan. He could get them out of here, and probably take out any enemy here, but he would need to keep at least one person alive, so as not to lose out on potential information. He had no idea how far this spread across the five nations.

"What do we do now, though? We have no idea where we are! I don't think Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun know where we are either!" Sakura's voice began to rise in hysteria, her panic becoming more pronounced.

"Haruno-hime, calm down. You will be fine. I won't let anything bad happen to you, alright?" Jin smiled at her reassuringly. "I'm going to get us out of here. Just keep calm. Can you do that for me?" He spoke slowly, trying to soothe her with his voice.

"Y-yes…" Sakura replied in a whisper, frowning. "W-what are we going to do?" She gulped, trying to get herself under control. Facing Zabuza had been a challenge and a scary experience, but this was a whole different level. They were trapped with no idea how many enemies were surrounding them, and no idea where they were. At least one of their captors was a shinobi.

"Good. Now, I need you to do something for me. I'm going to reveal myself, and let them take me out of the room. While I'm distracting them, I need you to keep the children calm, and once they're busy with me, you need to get the children out of here." Jin studied her face to make sure she understood before going on. "You may meet other shinobi out there, and they may be more skilled than you are. You have to get past them. If you don't, the children will likely die. Haruno-hime, if it comes to it, you must be able to kill to protect these children and yourself. Are you prepared for that?"

Sakura's eyes widened, and she stared at Jin for a moment, as if trying to comprehend what he was telling her. "I…" She trailed off, the thought of killing scaring her. The thought of the children being killed because she couldn't kill to protect them scared her more. "I can do it." Her voice was shaky, but there was no hesitation.

Jin smiled at her. "We'll get out of here safely. Maybe once Uchiha-sama knows that you don't need to be protected, he'll pay more attention to you." He glanced around, spotting a little area that was mostly hidden from view. He could release his henge there, and retrieve his things from the scroll he had brought with him. "I'm going to go change. Did you bring the scroll with your weapons?" When Sakura nodded, he got up and hurried off to the hidden area to change.

Once there, he opened the scroll and retrieved his things from within it. Once done with that, he released his henge, and began to change clothes. He pulled on the standard black shinobi pants, and slipped on a plain black tank top. Over that, he put on a pristine steel chest and back plate. He slipped on his shoes, and put several bracelets on over his wrists, and put in his earrings and earcuff. He pulled on a pair of gloves that were plated with steel all along the back of his hands and fingers, but which still provided ample flexibility.

Last, he attached a plain short katana to the back of his belt and fixed a mask over his face. It was clear that the mask was affiliated with the Mist because the village's symbol rested in the center above the eyes. Those that saw the mask were often reminded of a fox or some other related animal. He always carried around his ANBU uniform in a scroll, in case the Mizukage sent a message about a mission while he was out.

Eyes narrowed, he stepped out of the little area, and returned to Sakura's side. No one else had entered the room, and the guards appeared to be outside of the room, rather than inside. Now all that there was left for him to do was check in with Sakura.

"Haruno-hime, are you prepared?" Jin asked softly, dropping to his knee next to her. He was relieved that she seemed to have recovered from her panic. When she nodded, he smiled beneath his mask, noting her surprised expression at the sight of his outfit. "Good. Start getting the children together, and I'll prepare the distraction."

Without waiting to see if she did as he told her, he straightened up and made his way towards the door that the woman had dragged the child through. He tried the doorknob, not surprised to find it locked. He let out a heavy sigh and stepped back. He pooled chakra in one foot and kicked the door open with a little more force than necessary.

Jin stepped into the room and pushed the barely working door closed behind him. The sight before him wasn't what he had been expecting. Several missing-nin sat seated around a table, staring at the new appearance in alarm. The little girl was nowhere in sight, but there was another door past the table the missing-nin were seated around.

Since the room was large, much like some sort of stadium, Jin knew that this would be an easy match, even with all the missing-nin staring him down. "Ready to play, boys and girls?" He asked tauntingly, smirking behind his mask as all the shinobi got to their feet.

The temperature went down in the room, and frost began to form on the ground around Jin's feet. The frost spread and became ice, freezing over the door he had entered from and rendering it more difficult to use.

Jin stepped forward, and the battle began.

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story so far, and I'd like to mention that despite how quickly the plot seems to be being resolved, it's hardly even begun. I'd also like to mention that this is going to be a slow-burn, so you can look forward to seeing Jin and Kakashi become friends, and how their relationship progresses from there. Also, thanks for the review Shinan7! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Sakura watched Jin leave, rising to her feet when she saw him kick the door open. Quickly, she gathered the children together. She counted them all, frowning. There were fifteen children in total, the oldest one looking to be eight or nine at the oldest.

"Come on. I'll get you out of here." She whispered, glancing at the door Jin had gone through. She could feel a drop in temperature, despite being in a separate room from whatever was going on now. "You'll be safe with me." She hoped her voice didn't betray the terror she felt.

Sakura led the children over to the other door, examining it for a moment, before trying the knob. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't locked. Slowly, as if expecting an attack, she creaked open the door, a kunai held tightly in her free hand. So far, so good.

As she entered the next room, she paid close attention to her surroundings. It was deserted, but huge like a stadium of some sort. It was quiet. The guard appeared to have left his post for the moment, and Sakura hoped that she could get the children out before he returned.

"This way." She whispered, glancing back at the group of children. There was a loud thud in front of her, as if someone had landed there coming from who knew where. A chill went down Sakura's spine and she slowly turned her attention away from the children and to the shinobi in front of her.

He stood tall, a smirk on his broad, squarish face. He wore the standard shinobi garb, the only thing showing his former allegiance the scratched Kiri headband hanging around his neck loosely. "Trying to escape, little bird?" His voice was soft spoken and smooth as honey, surprisingly so for someone who looked as if he could tear a tree in half with little trouble.

Sakura didn't say a word, instead readying her stance. She had to protect the children! That was her mission now, even if it meant...a shudder ripped down her spine as she thought of the very real possibilities again. Her heart rate sped up and her breathing grew harsh. No! She couldn't let this stop her! The children, so scared and helpless, needed her!

"Oh? What's this? Does the little bird want to play? That expression on your face is rather cute." The shinobi unsheathed a short blade, smirking at her. "Before I left Kiri, I was up for promotion to ANBU. Do you honestly think you can get past me?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. For some reason, she wasn't scared anymore. Jin's words had boosted her, given her strength. As she repeated what he'd said to herself, her resolve grew. She had to protect the children, and she had to see Sasuke again! She wasn't going to let this defector stop her from that, no matter how strong he was.

"I'm not going to lose to a defector like you. Only weak people abandon their villages and homes." Her voice was strong and no longer held its tremor. Perhaps it wasn't wise to taunt someone so far above her skill level, but she didn't care now. She had her mission.

The shinobi narrowed his eyes. "I can see the change in your eyes. Is that killing intent coming from you? Tell me, what is your name? When I kill you, I want to be able to send your body back to your family in tiny pieces, see if they can put you back together again. I am Ryuu, the Fire in the Mist."

Sakura's resolve didn't sway, despite his fear tactic. She remembered his name. He was in Kakashi's Bingo book, and thankfully she remembered what had been written about him. He was primarily a Taijutsu user. In particular, his strength was superhuman, so any major hit from him would at best incapacitate her, and at worst would kill her. However, what he was most known for was the strange technique that he had developed from the Mist's standard technique of surrounding the battlefield in a thick, impenetrable mist. It was hinted at that he was somehow capable of making the mist catch fire, essentially burning alive anyone who had the misfortune of being within it.

"Haruno Sakura." Her voice remained strong as her mind raced for some sort of strategy. Everything she had learned from the Academy raced through her mind, but she couldn't figure out how to put any of it into actual practice. Despite her impressive grades, she'd hardly had the chance to put what she'd learned into practice.

"What a pretty name, little bird." Ryuu crooned, a nasty look on his face. "That fearlessness of yours won't last much longer, I can guarantee." He dropped into a standard Taijutsu stance. Anyone watching this would bet their money on the hulking form of Ryuu, doubting that a little girl such as Sakura could ever defeat him.

"You're not going to win." Sakura hissed, dropping into her own stance and preparing her kunai. She glanced back at the children briefly. "Hide!"

Once certain that the children were well hidden, she charged towards Ryuu, prepared to kill to protect them.

* * *

Jin ducked beneath a sharp jab aimed for his throat, shoving a kunai through his attacker's chest as he did so. Once the shinobi dropped to the ground, he spun and went for the next one, quick as lightning. He had no time to be playing around. Sakura would surely need help soon, and he wanted to be there to make sure she wasn't killed before it was her time.

The next nameless shinobi came at him with a short blade, meaning to sever his head from his body. Jin ducked below it, and rolled between his legs as a kunoichi behind him swung her blade for his legs. The two ended up hitting each other instead.

Jin could feel the rush of battle now, the strange high it brought. Time seemed to slow down around him as he slashed and hacked at shinobi and kunoichi alike, and what seemed like hours was really only minutes.

He could lose himself in this feeling, the feeling of bones breaking beneath his fists, of blood spraying from the trails his sword carved. He wasn't weak now. Whatever helplessness he'd felt when Kaoru had died was gone, replaced by the feeling, no, the _knowledge_ that he was not weak and useless. The rush of knowing that he could die at any moment, and that he could destroy whoever dared to oppose him.

Jin felt rather than heard the clanging of a sword against the steel backplate he wore, could feel it scrape a trail through the hardened metal. He spun around, pooling chakra in his fist, and slammed it right into the shinobi's face, sending the fragile bone of his nose crashing up into his brain.

More shinobi and kunoichi were entering the room now, as if more of them could stop the bloodthirsty shinobi.

Jin couldn't feel the pain from any of the hits he took, the ice from his kekkei genkai frosting over his wounds and keeping him from losing too much blood. It didn't require much chakra to use it in that fashion, not that it would have mattered with his unusually large reserves.

He hardly noticed the blow that snapped the straps that kept his chest and back plates in place, though he knew now that he was more vulnerable to attack. The crowd was thinning anyway, so he wasn't worried about being injured too badly.

There were only three shinobi and the kunoichi that had taken the child earlier left. Jin knew that he had to spare one for interrogation, and decided immediately that the kunoichi would be the easiest one to keep subdued long enough to get her back to the village.

Jin narrowed his eyes between his blood drenched mask as the kunoichi and two of the shinobi stepped back to allow the largest one of them forward. He could tell that this was going to be a rough match for him. While not exactly weak, Jin was just about average in terms of physical strength. He often used his chakra to supplement that, a trick he'd learned from someone he hadn't seen in some years. His opponent, on the other hand, was clearly stronger than average.

Without a word, Jin launched himself forward and hardened a shell of ice around himself to brace for impact. He wasn't surprised when it cracked beneath his opponent's large fist, but he _was_ surprised when his fist clamped down around the shoulder he'd previously injured, shattering the ice, and tossed him into the wall with such force that Jin was dazed for a moment before he could get up.

Jin darted forward again, batted into the wall again by a giant fist to the face. He was shocked when his sturdy mask cracked, but relieved when it didn't break completely. He rose to his feet once again, appraising his opponent.

The shinobi stood slightly hunched over, both fists raised to take Jin out again once he approached. His stance was odd, with more weight on the foot he had in front of him.

Every shinobi and kunoichi had a weak point, somewhere they'd received too much damage to ever recover from fully, or somewhere where age was beginning to take effect, or even a sickness that sapped one's strength. Even Jin had a weak point, though it was something he didn't like to admit even to himself. The shinobi he was facing now seemed to have a bad knee judging by the way he stood, and now Jin knew how to exploit this weakness of his.

The temperature dropped again, and frost began to spread out from around Jin's feet in a seemingly random pattern. His opponent didn't seem to notice the frost beginning to creep up around his leg until it had completely wrapped around his knee, hardening into a thick layer of ice around. It was clear by his expression that Jin had managed to make it more difficult for his opponent to dodge attacks and deal out damage in retaliation.

"Are you ready to die?" Jin asked coldly, stepping closer. He ducked beneath the shinobi's fist, straightening up again. "Are you ready to be torn to pieces? To have your remains scattered across the forest floor for the scavengers to feed on?" It had always been difficult for Jin to come back from the empty disconnect from emotion his training had drilled into him, especially in battle. Despite his kind demeanor outside of battle, he was still a shinobi of the Bloody Mist and had gone through the graduation exam that required him to murder his former classmates.

Before his opponent could try to strike him again, Jin swept his sword up across his throat. The blade dug so deeply that it almost beheaded him. As it was, blood sprayed from the terrible wound, covering his mask and hair in it.

Very slowly, he turned to face the other two shinobi and one kunoichi. "Who's next?" He stepped towards them, ignoring the thud behind him of the shinobi dropping to the ground. He ducked beneath a kunai thrown at him as the two shinobi tried to make a break for it. They were outclassed, and they didn't yet want to die.

The ice spread across the ground further, catching the shinobi and kunoichi in its freezing grip. Jin approached the two shinobi, swinging his blade in a graceful arc. This time, his blade went all the way through, and their heads went bouncing to the ground, rolling towards the door. He slowly turned his attention to the kunoichi, stepping over a body as he did so. "You're lucky. You get to live." He grabbed her wrists as she tried to shove a kunai through his chest. He spun her around, yanking her arms back behind her, and froze her wrists together so that she could not use her hands.

Then he grabbed her by the back of the neck and dragged her along with him to the other door. Without hesitation, he opened the door, hardly surprised to find the little girl crouched cowering in a corner.

Jin dropped to one knee and offered his gloved hand to her. He was beginning to calm down, returning from the cold disconnect from emotions. "Come on. I'm here to help you. I'll keep you safe now." His voice was soft, gentle.

Hesitantly, the little girl put her hand in his and allowed him to help her to her feet. She didn't say a word, instead guiding her and the kunoichi out of the room. He began back the way he had come, eyes narrowed. He had a bad feeling. He was worried about Sakura.

Jin was certain that Sakura could kill if the stakes were high enough, but he wasn't sure if she had the training to do so. It was likely that the guards keeping them inside whatever place this was were far above her level. The ones he had faced alone had been difficult enough for him to handle without help. There had been too many for him to kill without using up a lot of his chakra, and it worried him.

He'd already gone through two thirds of his chakra reserves fighting just them, though admittedly, he could have done fine without pooling chakra into his fists so often. He would certainly have to be more careful about how much more chakra he used, unless he intended on using the spare chakra he kept stored in the majority of the jewelry he'd put on just before the battle had begun.

Jin dragged along his prisoner, and pulled the little girl along quickly, making sure she didn't trip or fall. Now he was back in the room he had woken up in. He paused for a moment, listening for any sound. He could hear the echoes of battle coming from the next room that presumably led to the exit.

"Stay here." He said gently, glancing at the little girl. When she nodded, he let go of her hand, and pulled along his prisoner. He shoved her against the wall next to the door, his ice wrapping around her in a tight grasp "You. Don't even try anything. You can't free yourself."

With that, Jin went through the door, quickly grasping the situation. Sakura was lying on the ground, struggling to get to her feet, while her opponent slowly approached her. He recognized the man, and knew that they were in trouble. Despite the confidence he had in his abilities, and knowing that he was above Ryuu's rank, Jin knew that if it came to it, his ice wouldn't be able to protect them long. He had trained once with the older shinobi, and knew how difficult it would be to take someone out who was about as light as an elephant.

"Let her go, Ryuu. Your battle is no longer with her." His voice rang out confidently, stopping Ryuu in his tracks, and startling Sakura. "Haruno-hime, get yourself over to the other children and stay out of this. I apologize for leaving you with such a difficult opponent. You don't have to worry now, though. I will protect you."

Ryuu laughed as Sakura staggered to her feet and dashed across to where the children were hidden away. "Too bad, little bird. I was rather looking forward to sending you home in pieces. I suppose that will have to wait until I bash your friend's head in." He turned his attention to Jin. "Oh, that bitch sent you here to take me out, eh? You're not gonna make it out of here alive, ANBU bastard."

Jin smiled beneath his mask. "I ask that you refrain from referring to Mizukage-sama as a bitch. It's not her fault that you didn't make ANBU. You were not recommended, and even if you had been, I doubt she would have promoted you to such a role. After all, you have always stank of a coward. Now, I think you said you wanted to bash my head in? Let's get started, then, and see if you can even hit me."

The taunt angered Ryuu enough for him to charge forward with his sword aimed for Jin's heart. He was slow, though, slow enough for Jin to duck beneath his attack and slip his foot in front of Ryuu. The shinobi tripped over his foot, and tumbled to the ground with a snarl.

Jin knew Ryuu well enough to know what made him tick, and what sorts of abilities he had. He knew Ryuu had superior physical strength compared to any other shinobi he'd met, including himself. No, wait, that wasn't right. There was one person he knew that was stronger than Ryuu, but it would be pointless to think about that. She wouldn't be able to help. Instead, he thought about what advantages he had. His speed and his kekkai genkai would probably benefit him the most in this situation.

Ryuu rose to his feet, snarling, as Jin backed away. He knew that Jin was faster than him, and it pissed him off. He charged at Jin again, resulting in the same outcome. However, he knew what to do now.

Jin cursed, watching his opponent make rapid hand signs and raise a thick mist around them. He knew how to navigate mists like these well, but this mist was different. It had an oily feel, and smelled much the same. There was very little time to act as he heard Ryuu begin laughing.

Ice spread out from around his feet once more, seeking Sakura and the children. Once he had located them, The ice surrounded them in a crystalline layer strong enough to protect from most attacks. His ice began to surround him as well, quicker as he heard a sparking sound.

Just in time, the ice surrounded him. The air exploded around them all into a fiery inferno. Jin only hoped he could keep his ice up long enough for the attack to die down. Constantly keeping the ice from breaking drained him of his chakra faster than he liked to admit.

As quickly as the inferno flared up, it died back down, leaving the air smoky and difficult to breathe. The ice receded as soon as the last flame was gone, leaving Jin exhausted. He was certain that he could still take down Ryuu, but now he would have to do it without chakra. It was riskier, but he was without any other option.

"Nice try, Ryuu, but you failed to kill us. I have to admit, I'm rather disappointed in that jutsu. You haven't improved it all since we last met. Tell me, did you honestly believe that you would be able to take me down that easily?" Jin laughed softly, stepping out of the smoke to face the unharmed shinobi.

"No. It served its purpose. You're nearly out of chakra now, aren't you? I can already tell that you're exhausted. You will be slower now. I can catch you." Ryuu's voice was far too triumphant.

Jin knew that he was right. The previous battle had taken its toll on him, and the loss of his chest plate was going to work against him. The thin, black tank top he wore would do nothing to protect him against Ryuu's superior strength. However, he had no other choice but to keep fighting. The children's lives were at stake here, and he wasn't willing to risk them.

Deciding that talking was counter-productive, Jin darted towards Ryuu. He swung the blade, wincing at the clanging it made when it clashed with his opponent's blade. He backed up quickly, trying to get away before Ryuu could serve a counter attack. He was too late. The blade slashed down across his chest, spraying blood across the room.

Jin yelped and stumbled backwards, but forced his ice to cover the wound. It would temporarily stop the bleeding, but he needed to end this _now,_ or the result of this battle would not be in his favor.

"Now you're wounded. You're just going to keep getting weaker and weaker until you'll be begging for me to put you out of your misery." Ryuu gloated, stepping closer.

He was right. Despite his strength and abilities, he had his limits. He was finally reaching those limits.

Jin said nothing, darting around and managing to slash Ryuu. He danced away before he could be hit, and then danced closer again, his every movement graceful despite his exhaustion. He hacked and slashed at Ryuu, never letting up. He didn't notice that he was progressively slowing down the more he fought.

Ryuu merely seemed amused by his attempts to kill him, allowing him to do as he pleased. It hardly seemed to affect him, the blade beginning to dull with the multiple slashes that hardly had any force behind them. He finally grew tired of his game, and swung his fist just as Jin was dancing towards him.

Jin's head cracked to the side as the fist met with his mask, and he was sent flying into the ground halfway across the huge room. He didn't get up, too dazed to get up yet. His mask cracked more, and then shattered, leaving his face exposed. Blood dripped down from under his bangs into his eye, temporarily keeping him unable to see from one eye.

Footsteps approached him slowly, as if Ryuu were taking his time before killing Jin. He had to get Sakura and the children out of here before that happened. Very slowly, he turned his head to the side, staring at the spot they were all hiding in. "Run…" His voice was weak at first, but quickly gained more strength. "Get out of here, Haruno-hime! Take the children and get out of here!" He slowly began sitting up, pain lancing through his shoulder.

Ryuu kicked Jin, knocking him back down to the ground again. "It looks like it's finally time for you to die...oh? What's this? Oh no, you're kidding me. That bitch promoted _you_ to ANBU? I wonder what the bitch was thinking promoting a whore like you. No wonder it was so easy to beat you." His laughter was mocking as he kicked Jin across the face.

Sakura stared out at the scene, her eyes wide with horror. She was torn. There was no way that she could stand up to Ryuu, but Kakashi had taught them that you were scum for abandoning your friends or teammates for the successful outcome of a mission. He was right. Jin had bought her time to help the children, and had protected her. She was not going to abandon him.

She rose to her feet slowly, taking a moment to regain her balance. She had taken a beating, but still seemed to be in better shape than Jin was at this point. Even if she couldn't kill their opponent, she could at least buy Jin enough time to recover. Drawing a kunai from her pouch, Sakura stepped out of their hiding spot.

Jin's one open eye widened when he saw the determination in Sakura's eyes. "No! Go, Haruno-hime! Get out of here! He'll kill you!" Ryuu stepped on his ankle with enough force to crack the bones. Then he put his sword to Jin's throat.

"No!" Sakura shouted, dashing towards the two.

Time seemed to slow down.

Ryuu pulled the blade back, getting ready to thrust it through Jin's throat.

Jin closed his eye, knowing that there was very little hope of surviving.

Sakura launched herself at Ryuu, her intent to kill stronger than it had been at the beginning of the battle. She landed nearly on top of him, and wrapped her arms around his throat. Without pausing in her attack, she swung the blade down through his chest with such force that the entire blade was buried in it up to her hand.

Nothing seemed to happen for several moments. And then Ryuu swayed once, twice, and then dropped to the ground beside Jin. He didn't move after that.

Jin sat up slowly, wincing, and turned to Ryuu and Sakura. "Haruno-hime…" He whispered, reaching over and dragging her away from the dead shinobi. He shook his head slowly. "We need to get out of here, Haruno-hime." He ruffled her hair in the same way he did Hakaru's.

Sakura didn't respond, but slowly got up. Her eyes were wide, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. What she had just done. She had taken a life, and there was no going back now.

Jin slowly stood up, leaning on his uninjured leg. "Come on, Haruno-hime. Snap out of it. I know this is difficult, but you need to pull yourself together for the sake of the children. We don't know what else is waiting for us, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to do much to help defend the children."

Sakura blinked, and then slowly nodded. She snapped herself out of her shock and horror, resolving to get the children and Jin out of there safely. She slowly looked up at him. "You can lean on me…"

Jin nodded slightly, putting his hand on her shoulder and using her to support himself. This wasn't the worst that he had ever been wounded, but it had certainly been a long time since. He watched Sakura for a moment, before helping her towards where he had left the little girl and the prisoner.

Behind them, the door burst open, and in came three shinobi. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke were all there now, and Jin couldn't help but smile.

"You're a little too late to join in on the fun."

 **Author's Note: Thanks again for reading! I got this chapter out a little earlier than I thought I would, but I had a really great time writing these fight scenes! I wanted to give Sakura a little bit more screentime, so to speak, because I really like her character, and I think she deserves more love in fanfiction, rather than the bashing I see so often in fanfiction. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you to Kisi for the kind review! I'm glad you're looking forward to learning more about Jin's past! I'm not gonna give much away, but little pieces of it might be sprinkled in with the next chapter, though definitely not all of it. Thanks again! If there's anything that confused you in this chapter in any way, please let me know so that I can fix it!**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jin let out a heavy as he explained what had happened on the way back to the village. Kakashi was allowing him to use him as support, so Jin was leaning heavily against him. He glanced over at Sakura quietly. She hadn't said a word since she'd killed Ryuu.

"If it hadn't been for Haruno-hime...I'd likely be dead right now, and the children would likely have met the same fate. She saved our lives." He glanced at Sakura and offered her a pained smile. "Thank you." He reached over and ruffled her hair gently.

Sakura didn't reply, allowing both Naruto and Sasuke to support her. She seemed to have lost all strength, and her green eyes were dull and empty looking. Taking a life was affecting her badly, though this wasn't unusual in Jin's experience. Most people had adverse reactions to killing someone for the first time, unless they were truly evil, or had grown up in a home full of violence, as Jin had.

The children and captive kunoichi followed along behind them, none of them saying a word. They were all very careful to make sure that the prisoner couldn't harm any of the children, though they had had to resort to binding her with regular rope, rather than the ice that Jin had been keeping her with. He couldn't keep up the chakra required to keep her bound like that, despite the fact that it hardly required any at all. At this point, he wouldn't even be able to form a flimsy layer of ice, though if he relinquished the control he had over it, that would be different.

"...dammit." Jin grumbled after a few moments of silence. The ice that had been covering the terrible wound he'd been given by Ryuu had vanished. He didn't even have enough chakra for that, and blood was beginning to flow freely again.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked, glancing at him. His eye narrowed slightly when he saw the blood flowing freely again. He was no medical nin, but he was willing to bet that if they didn't get back soon, the wound had the potential to be fatal.

"I'm afraid that I may black out momentarily. I'm losing a lot of blood." Jin sounded almost calm, as if he weren't afraid of the possibility of dying. "If you can get me...back to Hakaru-chan, then...he can take care of me." He closed his eyes, leaning more heavily on Kakashi, as if he couldn't even hold his own weight on his uninjured foot.

"No, we'll get you to the hospital. Can you stay awake for a while longer?" Kakashi asked, making the Kiri nin put his arm around his shoulders, while he placed his arm around his waist to support him better. "We'll be back in the village in no time. Sasuke, Naruto, how is Sakura?" He glanced at them, frowning beneath his mask.

"She still won't say anything." Naruto replied, leaning close to her face, an action that would normally elicit an act of violence from the kunoichi. "Sakura-chan?" There was still no answer.

"We'll get her checked into the hospital as well. We still don't know all that happened." Kakashi said with a sigh. Jin had just given them a quick explanation, without going into too much detail. "Sasuke, we need to pick up the pace. Can you carry her?" When he nodded, he glanced at Naruto. "Keep an eye on the children and the prisoner."

Jin grunted slightly in pain. "Hatake-sama, I'm afraid I may not be able to make it there before passing out…" He opened his eyes slowly, noticing how his vision fuzzed around the edges. He could feel the dark, emptiness of unconsciousness drawing him in, though he tried desperately to fight it.

In the end, Jin could do nothing but fall into unconsciousness, pitching forward as his eyes closed tightly. The last thing he remembered before everything went dark, was pair of strong arms catching him gently before he knew nothing more.

Jin awoke to the steady buzz of machines working around him. He opened his eyes slowly, and then shut them again when he was greeted by the startling white walls and ceiling. "Gahhh…" He grumbled, turning his head to the side. He was relieved to find that he was in hardly any pain now, though he didn't like that someone had attached an IV to him, as well as a heart monitor. Oh, how he hated hospitals.

* * *

"Finally awake?" A quiet voice asked from next to his bed. There was the sound of a book snapping shut, and Jin didn't have to open his eyes to know who was there.

"When can I be released, Hatake-sama? I don't particularly like being in here." Jin cleared his throat before going on, "I don't really get visitors when I end up in the hospital, either, so I'm surprised that you're here."

"You've been out for two days, so you'll have to ask your nurse about that. As for why I'm here…" Kakashi paused for a moment, "the kunoichi you managed to catch for interrogation killed herself last night. She was found dead this morning. There wasn't anything in her cell that she could harm herself with, and she'd been checked for weapons before she was put in there. It looked like she bashed her own head against the wall until she'd died. They hadn't gotten any information out of her yet."

Jin frowned slightly. "So that means we're back at square one. I doubt that that was the only place children were ending up, especially if there were children from so many other nations. I don't think we found the ringleader in this whole mess." He opened his eyes slowly, and sat up.

Just then, a medical nin bustled in, her mouth set in a deep frown, though it turned into a smile when she saw that Jin was awake and alert. "It's good to see that you're awake." She picked up the chart at the end of his bed, looking it over. "Okay, then." She glanced back up at Jin. "The worst of your injuries have been healed completely, however, we have left your minor injuries to heal naturally. However, it would be best to take a few days to rest before doing anything reckless again. We requested your medical records from Kiri's hospital to make sure that there wouldn't be any complications, and they arrived yesterday." She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You are far too reckless."

Jin blinked, tipping his head to the side. "I didn't think Kiri would give something like that up so easily." He merely sounded curious, as if he didn't mind being scolded.

"Hospitals work differently than the rest of the village. We are dedicated to helping those who are injured, no matter where they came from, unless those injuries were brought on by attacking our home. Besides, you were injured rescuing kidnapped children, and I doubt Kiri would want to lose you. You've had a few visitors since you were admitted, by the way." The nurse set the chart down, and went on to check his heart rate and the minor injuries he had received. "The Haruno girl brought you get-well flowers," she nodded to the bouquet of small, white bell flowers, "and the Uchiha boy left you a note. And...Uzumaki tried to break into your room to bring you ramen." She wrinkled her nose in irritation.

Jin laughed. "I see. Thank you." He glanced at the flowers again, smiling a little. "Bell flowers. Meaning gratitude." He shook his head slightly, smiling. "I'd like that note, if that's alright. And I'd like to know when I can be discharged."

The nurse handed over the note, shaking her head. "You can't leave until you understand that you're supposed to rest for at least a week. I read your medical records, and I'd like to say that I've never seen a file that big before. Since you don't seem to have listened to your own medical nin in Kiri, I'd like to say that I don't want to see you here as often as you used to end up in Kiri. Fifteen times a month, sometimes more is too much. You're not allowed to get into any fights in the village, since that seems to be the main reason you ended up in the emergency room."

"Fights?" Jin asked, bewildered. "I was never in any...oh, nevermind. Yes, yes, I was always fighting. I understand now. I won't get into any fights here. I promise." He spoke a little too quickly, sounding as if he were trying to hide his slip up. "Can I have my clothes back? Can I leave now."

Kakashi spoke up, noticing Jin's sudden nervousness. "I'll make sure he doesn't get into any trouble, alright? Jin-san, Hakaru-san sent some clothes along with me. He would have come along with me, but the nurses didn't like him bringing you weeds, so they asked me not to bring him here again." There was a smile in his voice, as if he thought Hakaru was silly.

"Ahh, yeah, thanks. Hakaru-chan still can't tell the difference between a weed and a flower. He means well, though." Jin said, grateful for the chance of escape. "If he weren't blind, he'd make a great medical nin. Well, he'd make a great shinobi in general. I wouldn't be the right teacher for him, though, and the Mist doesn't want those who they deem broken. Even without sight, he's more perceptive than most, and he would certainly be an asset. It's unfortunate."

"Don't you try to change the subject." The nurse snapped. "I wasn't finished. It also stated in your medical files that you were a courtesan for a time in one of the bad houses. If you'd be interested, we have nurses who deal with the psychological damage that often occurs with the abuse that often occurs in those settings who can help you deal with the trauma. The Mist doesn't seem to care about the mental stability of their shinobi, but _we_ do. Even the strongest shinobi can be abused."

Jin went rigid. "That won't be necessary, thank you. I'll be just fine. I was never hurt while I worked there. I was just a performer, as all courtesans are. I merely talked with lonely souls and served food at parties." He smiled the charming smile that always fooled the most perceptive shinobi. "Now, if I can get going. I need to make sure Hakaru-chan hasn't been worrying too much." Very slowly he got up, and pulled the curtains separating his bed from the next empty one shut.

Kakashi pointed to the clothes he'd brought on the table next to the door, and went to wait outside. The nurse huffed in agitation, but handed Jin the note that Sasuke had passed along. When they were both gone, he slowly changed into the clean clothes. He was relieved to find that he didn't hurt all that much. His bruises were the only parts that hurt, and they wouldn't take too terribly long to fade.

Jin finished getting dressed and ran a hand through his ruffled hair. Then he let out a sigh and opened the note Sasuke had left for him. He read through it quietly before pocketing it, and sidestepping around the curtains to where Kakashi awaited him, quietly leaned up against the wall.

"Are you ready? Ibiki wanted to have you look at the scene where they found the kunoichi dead, since the Mist uses suicide to keep from giving up information. He wants to determine if that's what it actually was." Kakashi asked, straightening up when he saw Jin. "You need to be discharged first, though."

Jin grimaced. While he didn't like it, he knew Kakashi was right. Kiri often went so far as to suicide to keep information out of the wrong hands, and he himself had been taught many ways to kill himself if something went terribly wrong and he were caught. Needless to say, he would be an expert in determining if it were suicide or not. "She's not a kunoichi of Kiri."

Kakashi nodded slightly as he led the Kiri nin down to where he could be discharged. "We found a sand headband in her bag, slashed through." He said, waiting quietly while the nurse got the paperwork and discharged Jin.

Finally free, Jin made a beeline for the door, wincing when the bright sun shone down in his eyes. He didn't think he'd ever get used to the sunny days that often occurred in Konoha. He would definitely need to purchase an umbrella before too long, so that he would at least be able to shade himself.

The pair slowly made their way to where interrogations were held, entering the building quietly. Ibiki met them inside, and led them down to the cell where they had been keeping the kunoichi. Right away, Jin knew that it was definitely a suicide. "Yeah, she killed herself. Even though someone else could've gotten in here to kill her, I doubt that's what happened."

Jin stepped into the empty cell, crouching down next to her lifeless body and studying her. "Look here," he gestured to the top of her head, "it looks like she rammed her head into the wall several times, but...nope, that's not what killed her." He leaned over her body more closely. "She rammed her head so hard against the wall that it broke her neck. It does sort of look like a murder, though." He straightened up. "Is that all?"

With a glance at another shinobi, Ibiki gave a short nod. "Yes. We'll be questioning the children shortly, though before sending them back to where they belong."

Jin nodded slightly. "Good. Be gentle with them, though. They've been through a lot. I doubt we've found the real culprit, though. The strongest missing nin there was killed, and there was no way that he was smart enough for this." He turned and left quietly, letting out a sigh.

Kakashi was just behind him, studying him quietly. He thought the Mist shinobi was strange, but, despite the influence of the village he'd grown up in, he seemed like a good man. He was definitely a competent shinobi, and he remembered briefly the one time they had met before, during the war. They hadn't had the chance to fight because Jin had just been helping an injured teammate out of danger. Minato had decided to let them escape. Of course, that had been before Obito and Rin had died.

"Hatake-sama, I think I misjudged you leaf shinobi. I thought you were all too soft. However, Haruno-hime showed more bravery than I've seen before, considering who she was facing, and how much stronger than he was than her. Is she doing alright? It's a terrible thing to take a life, and when it's the first time you've done it, it's much worse." Jin asked quietly, not looking at him.

"She wasn't hurt badly. I think she'll be alright, though. After Sakura had her wounds treated, the children the two of you protected ambushed her outside with hugs. I think after they thanked her, she began to understand." Kakashi replied, glancing at Jin to study his expression. Even though the left side of his face was badly bruised, he still held a sort of haunting beauty.

"I see. I'm glad that she's alright. It didn't seem like she had ever been in that sort of situation, so she did well, all things considered. You've done well training her. I've thought about taking on a few students, but Mizukage-sama believes that my talents are needed elsewhere, though she did say that perhaps in the future, I could take on an apprentice." Jin let out a sigh. "Anyway, I've got something to take care of. Thank you for looking after Hakaru-chan while I've been in the hospital. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, would you mind keeping an eye on him for a little while longer?"

Kakashi tipped his head to the side, but gave a short nod. "No problem. Come back soon, though. Hakaru-san keeps bringing weeds inside and planting them in the sink."

"Ahh, sorry about that. If you give him a flower pot, he'll use that instead. He just gets bored quickly. He's always brought weeds inside, though, and I've never been able to figure out why. Thanks again." Jin smiled at him kindly, the sort of smile that often stole the hearts of unsuspecting men and women. He had no idea what kind of effect his smile had on people when his smile was genuine like that, though.

Jin waved goodbye, and went on his way. It wasn't very effective, but he ducked into the shade as he made his way towards the Uchiha complex to meet Sasuke. He wasn't really sure what to expect. His note had just said that he wanted to talk, but didn't specify what he wanted to talk about. He was sure he would find out soon enough, though.

Sasuke seemed to be an incredibly angry kid to Jin, and though he didn't know the circumstances behind his anger, he knew what it was like to hold a rage that devoured most every thought. Of course, he'd mostly gotten over that rage, with a few exceptions. It had taken time, and a willingness to let go, but he'd had to do it for Hakaru. He hadn't been the only one suffering, and Hakaru, the kid he thought of as a little brother, needed his support.

"Uchiha-sama," Jin smiled down at Sasuke, "you wished to talk?" He tipped his head when Sasuke regarded him coldly. He could see that he was regretting his decision to leave the note for him.

"Nevermind. I didn't mean for you to actually get that note." He grumbled, turning to head back inside the Uchiha complex. Sasuke didn't make it far before he was pulled back by the collar of his shirt.

"Not so fast, Uchiha-sama. You wanted to talk about something, and I offered to listen if you needed to speak. Now, I'm going to listen to what you need to say, and I am not going to speak of it to anyone else." Jin let go of his shirt and patted his head. "Come on, let's take a walk." Putting his hand on Sasuke's back, he propelled him forward.

"I don't want…" Sasuke trailed off when Jin gave him a look, and resigned himself to the fate he had brought on himself. He didn't even know why he'd thought it was a good idea to leave the note for Jin. The Mist shinobi was so... _weird._

"Say, Uchiha-sama, do you know a nice flower shop around here? I'd like to get some flowers for my brother." Jin asked, glancing down at him with a smile. There was the faintest hint of sadness behind his eyes.

"Not Hakaru-san?" Sasuke asked after a moment. "You told Sakura that he wasn't your brother."

"...you actually listened to that?" Jin laughed when Sasuke glared at him. "Sorry, sorry. That was rude, I know. You're more observant than Uzumaki-sama. Anyway, no. The flowers wouldn't be for Hakaru-chan. They're for my baby brother, Kaoru. He died when I was little, and I still like to bring him flowers. If I don't keep his memory alive, then no one will."

Sasuke frowned faintly. He couldn't exactly say he could relate to that, since _his_ brother had murdered his entire clan, not including himself and Sasuke. However, he did understand what it was like to lose people. "...what about your parents? Wouldn't they remember him?"

"Ahh, that's a complicated subject, Uchiha-sama. I doubt they remember that they had two children, let alone one that died nearly nineteen years ago. Not to mention…" Jin's gaze darkened for a moment, but he shook his head a little. "Anyway, we're not here to talk about me. Why don't we walk around for a while so that you can gather your thoughts?"

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, watching Jin. Then he nodded slightly. "Okay." He replied softly, allowing Jin to lead him around. He thought it was odd how any woman the Mist shinobi smiled at blushed and almost looked embarrassed, and how most men he smiled at looked flustered in much the same way, though seemingly more confused about it. He watched Jin quietly, noting that the smiles he gave were genuine.

The pair walked on in silence through the village, only stopping when Jin needed to buy an umbrella to shield himself from the sun. He was still convinced that he would never get used to the hot sun that shone down in Fire Country.

"I thought Naruto made you use all your money for his ramen habit." Sasuke commented when Jin bought the umbrella. He'd heard about it from Sakura, who'd heard about it from Kakashi.

"Yeah, I was, but Mizukage-sama sent me a little extra yesterday morning. She always takes pity on me. One of my summons took it upon herself to tell Mizukage-sama about the ramen incident when I sent a message that I'd arrived." Jin shrugged. "She thinks I'm pathetic, and good for gaining sympathy. I remember her comparing me to a kicked puppy when she first became Mizukage. Oh well."

Sasuke blinked, but just nodded. He wasn't sure he wanted to know anymore about Jin. He couldn't stop thinking about how weird he acted, though he got the feeling that he could act stranger than he was now, even.

It had been only about an hour before Sasuke decided to speak, sure now that Jin wasn't going to pry into his business without permission. "I…" He hesitated, unsure of himself for the first time in a long time. He didn't know how to say what he wanted to. He found that the words were hard to come by.

"Take your time, Uchiha-sama. You don't have to rush yourself." Jin spoke softly, looking forward quietly. He remained quiet after that, waiting for Sasuke to speak.

Sasuke shook his head slightly after a moment. "Nevermind." He said again, frowning again. He couldn't talk to anyone, especially someone such as Jin, whom he did not know well enough. Though, it did seem easier even thinking about how he actually felt about what had happened to him, about what he felt below the burning desire for revenge.

"That's alright. You don't have to talk now, but I'll be here when you do want to talk, alright? Just leave me another note, and I'll come as soon as I can." Jin smiled at him. "Now, I've got to go. I've kept Hakaru-chan waiting long enough, and I'm sure he'll be rather angry with me for not coming to see him right away. Ahh, but could you point me in the direction of a flower shop? I'd like to know where it is, so that I can get some flowers in the future. I think maybe it's better to just return to Hakaru-chan right away. Besides, I'm still not feeling my best…"

Sasuke nodded slightly, turning away. "...see you." He said before making his way back towards the Uchiha complex.

Jin watched him disappear into the crowd, and then turned away. He let out a small sigh, and headed back to Kakashi's place to let Hakaru know that he was okay, and to make him stop bringing in weeds. He would never understand why Hakaru thought it necessary to plant weeds in the sink.

It took only a few minutes to get there, and he wasn't surprised when Hakaru launched himself at Jin from the doorway. "Jin-chan! Jin-chan! You didn't come home! You promised you come home! You broke the promise!"

Jin dropped the umbrella and caught Hakaru, managing not to stumble backwards. "Sorry, Hakaru-chan. I'm back now, though, okay?" He smiled a little. "Don't worry, I won't leave you behind. I'll always be here to take care of you."

Hakaru puffed his cheeks out, wiggling a little in Jin's arms. "Good! You can't leave like Raizo-chan did! You promised!"

"I know, I know, and I won't leave you. Promise." Jin ruffled his hair gently, and set him down. "Now, I hear you tried to bring weeds into the hospital? And I hear that you've also been trying to plant them in Hatake-sama's sink? You know better than that. You can't plant weeds in the sink, and the nurses don't like the weeds in the hospital. They're unsanitary, and can cause more illness for those already in there. If you want to bring something to me when I'm in the hospital, then you need to bring flowers instead."

Hakaru pouted, wilting in much the same way a flower would. It was wearing down Jin's resolve, even though Hakaru had done something that he shouldn't have in the first place. It almost always went this way. Hakaru would pout, and then Jin would give in and apologize for scolding him. It was a never-ending cycle.

Jin frowned and looked away quickly. "That's not gonna work on me this time, Hakaru-chan. Come on, let's go inside." He waved at Kakashi, who stood in the doorway, watching them in silence. "Sorry I left you with him. He can be difficult sometimes."

Kakashi shook his head slightly. "Don't worry about it. He didn't cause any harm. He's less destructive than my students, at least." He smiled beneath his mask in the way he always did. "I don't mind the company."

Jin smiled awkwardly, avoiding looking at Hakaru, who had begun whining much like the very dogs he was terrified of. "Ahh, how about I repay you by making dinner tonight? It's the least I can do, since you took care of Hakaru-chan for me."

Without waiting for an answer, he closed his umbrella and hurried inside past Kakashi. He immediately went towards the kitchen and began rifling through the cabinets in search of ingredients he could work with. He was disappointed to find very little.

"I haven't had a chance yet to go pick up some groceries. I've been too busy." Kakashi said once he'd followed his house guest into the kitchen. "We can go now, though, if you want." He didn't bother telling Jin that he didn't need to repay him, since he got the feeling that the Mist shinobi would do so anyway.

"You're lucky we still have time before the sun sets. Let's get going." Jin hurried past him, frowning. "I don't want to be out all afternoon. The sun is at its worst right now." He snapped open his umbrella again, and hurried outside. He was followed closely by both Kakashi and Hakaru. "Sorry, Hatake-sama, but you're going to have to pay. I have a little more money now, but not nearly enough to pay for things here, though the prices aren't nearly as bad as home."

Kakashi nodded slightly, following lazily. "Don't worry about it. I was going to do this anyway. Pick out whatever you like."

Jin nodded once and went on his way towards the marketplace. "Hakaru-chan, are you ready to help me pick out ingredients?" He smiled down at the boy, who had ceased pouting to instead sniff at the air.

Hakaru looked up towards Jin blindly, nodding. "Okay! I sniff out best ingredients!" He lifted his nose in the air, but stayed by Jin's side. Once they got to where they would be shopping, he would run loose in search of the best ingredients, though hopefully he wouldn't unintentionally insult the sellers.

The trio made good time despite the fact that Jin was still recovering, and they entered the crowded marketplace together. Jin sent Hakaru off, following at a distance so that he could keep an eye on him and make sure that he didn't get into any trouble.

"I hope you don't mind him picking out the ingredients. He has a good nose, and can be trusted to pick out fresh food. He foraged on his own before I found him, and when he was younger, he would always bring back herbs and berries for me to cook with." Jin shrugged a bit. "He knows what he's doing."

Kakashi nodded slightly, watching Hakaru run to and fro in search of the best ingredients. "I see." He said, glancing at Jin. "You said the Mist wouldn't want to train him as a shinobi? I've watched him the past few days, and he would be well-suited to tracking. It's unfortunate that they wouldn't accept him."

Jin smiled. "The Mist is cold in more than one way. They only want the best of the best, and they don't see the potential in Hakaru-chan like Raizo and I did. He knows how to survive better than you or I, I'm sure. If I could, I'd get him into the Academy. It's a lot safer now that they've forbidden the original graduation ceremony."

"Raizo?" Kakashi asked, having remembered hearing both Hakaru and Jin mention the name more than once.

"Ahh, yeah. I'd really rather not talk about him, if you don't mind." Jin stared forward, trying to keep his face emotionless, as he'd learned in his training. "And please don't ask Hakaru-chan about him. He gets upset."

"I see. I apologize." Kakashi watched Jin's expression, noticing how he kept most emotion off of it. Despite that, he could still see that sadness and the loneliness in the depths of his violet eyes. It was a touchy subject, then, it seemed.

Jin smiled again suddenly, watching Hakaru zip around like crazy. He was enjoying himself, and that made him happy. He loved seeing Hakaru happy. It reminded him faintly of his little brother, Kaoru.

The crowd closed around Hakaru suddenly, blocking him from sight. At first, Jin didn't worry. After all, Hakaru knew how to take care of himself, and Konoha had so far proven to be a peaceful village.

And then Hakaru screamed.

 **Author's Note: I'm sorry this chapter took a while to write. I've been busy with schoolwork and such, so I haven't had much time. Thank you all for the kind reviews! If you spot any errors, please let me know so that I can fix them!**

 **To Shinan7: I'm so glad you enjoyed the fight scene! I'm not confident in writing fight scenes, so I'm glad it turned out well. I'm so glad you're enjoying Remnants so far, and I hope you will continue to enjoy it!**

 **To 1ToasterKitty: Thank you so much! I'm flattered, and I hope you enjoy the next update!**

 **To Gilyflower: Here's the next update, and I hope you enjoy it!**

 **To Trisana: Wow! Thanks! I was really worried about how I was portraying the characters, but I'm glad that you think I'm doing well! I'm glad you think Jin is interesting, too! He's certainly an interesting character to write, and it'll be interesting to see how he changes the original plot of Naruto. ;) You're right about the Mist! I thought it would be interesting to write about a character from there, since we do know so little about the country as a whole. It does mention that each island in the Land of Water is unique in its traditions and such, so it will definitely be interesting to write more about the Mist. Maybe they'll get to visit the Mist later on. ;) Who knows? I hope you'll continue to enjoy Remnants, and thank you so much for reviewing! It's so nice to hear feedback like this!**

 **Edit: I noticed that the page breaks weren't showing up, so I added them in, and will continue checking to make sure that happens from now on, so that there's no confusion between different scenes. Sorry about that, and thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Jin dropped his umbrella and darted between people to get to Hakaru. A terrible fear had overtaken him. What if something happened to him? It would be all his fault for not protecting Hakaru well enough. He had made that mistake twice in the past, and both times the results had been tragic. He was not willing to let that happen again.

However, he was startled when he finally found Hakaru. He wasn't in trouble or anything, though he was certainly terrified. It took him a moment to piece together the situation, but when he did, he couldn't help but chuckle a little.

Hakaru laid sprawled on the ground, whimpering like a kicked puppy. In front of him, sitting on his haunches and watching the boy curiously, sat a small white puppy with flopped over ears. A boy about Hakaru's age stood behind the puppy, staring at Hakaru in confusion. "Oi, what the hell happened? Akamaru didn't do anything to you."

Jin let out a small sigh. "Hakaru-chan, it's okay. It's just a puppy." He helped Hakaru up, not at all surprised when he hid behind him. "Ahh, sorry about that. Your dog didn't do anything wrong. Hakaru-chan is just terrified of dogs. Always has been." He had to admit that he was relieved that it was just a dog that had made Hakaru scream.

The dog, dubbed Akamaru, looked up at his master and barked. The boy nodded in response. "Akamaru won't hurt him. He just wanted to say hello." His irritation seemed to die down a little. "Besides, Akamaru thought he was another dog."

"Is that so? Well, I do admit that Hakaru-chan doesn't like baths, and he does like to dig. I can assure you that he's not a dog, though. I'm sorry, I don't think I got your name. My name is Shiraishi Jin, but please just call me Jin."

"Inuzuka Kiba, and this is Akamaru." The boy introduced himself, still watching Hakaru cower behind Jin. "Oi, Akamaru won't hurt you." He repeated. He was rather baffled by his behavior. Sure, he'd seen plenty of people who were scared of dogs, but he'd never seen anyone sprawl over like that before, especially at the sight of a puppy. "Look at him, he's like a puppy." He decided that it would be best not to mention that Akamaru was a ninken.

"Hakaru-chan is blind. He can't see how big Akamaru-sama is." Jin glanced back at Hakaru, frowning. "It's okay. You need to try to face your fear, though, okay? This puppy isn't going to hurt you, right?" He glanced at the dog, who yipped in response. Taking that as an affirmative, he smiled. "Inuzuka-sama, would it be alright for Hakaru-chan to pet Akamaru-sama?"

"No!" Hakaru wailed. "The dog is scary!" His fists curled into Jin's kimono tightly, and he scrunched up his face. "Don't like the dog!" Oddly enough, though he was terrified, he was speaking more normal than he usually did.

"Ahh, I guess." Kiba replied, picking up Akamaru gently and slowly approaching the strange duo, who were now shadowed by Kakashi. He exchanged a glance with Akamaru and got close enough for Hakaru to reach out and touch the dog.

Jin smiled. "Hakaru-chan, I'm sorry I'm forcing you to do this, but you need to get over this fear. One of these days, I'll be out on a mission, and you'll come across a dog. What are you going to do if that happens? I can't always be there to pick you up when you fall. You have to learn to stand on your own. It's part of being a shinobi. Sometimes you will face things alone, with no one to help you but yourself. I love you like you're my little brother, Hakaru-chan, but I cannot always protect you." His voice was gentle, and he crouched down to his level. "You cannot let your fear control you."

Hakaru gulped, burying his face against Jin's shoulder. He knew he was right, but it was just so hard, and he was not a shinobi, and certain he never would be. The Mist did not believe that someone such as himself could ever be useful as a shinobi, and perhaps because of that, he didn't bother trying as hard anymore, certain that if he got himself into trouble, Jin or Raizo would be there to protect him. But Raizo wasn't there anymore. Raizo could no longer protect him, and one day, Jin, too, would no longer be able to protect him.

It was a painful realization, but it was something that he couldn't change. He couldn't sit back and let everyone protect him and pick him up when he fell, and then expect the Mist to change their opinion of him. He could never become a shinobi if he relied on everyone to do it for him. Nothing could be gained without his own effort and determination.

"O-okay…" Hakaru whimpered, slowly letting go of Jin. He tried hard not to let his terror overtake him, thrusting his hand out towards Kiba and Akamaru.

Akamaru sat quietly in Kiba's arms, extending his muzzle to sniff at the strange boy. His nose brushed against his hand gently, making the poor boy whimper. After a few moments of studying his scent, he licked Hakaru's hand, leaving drool all over it.

Hakaru was unable to keep from giggling. It tickled, sort of like a cat's tongue. However, Akamaru's tongue was gentler, and less like sandpaper. He couldn't help but like how it felt. He squeaked in alarm and yanked his hand back, though, when Akamaru barked loudly at him, but could hear his tail thwacking against Kiba's chest rapidly. "W-what's that noise…?"

Jin laughed softly, ruffling his hair gently. "That's his tail. He's happy. Go on, you can try to pet him if you like." He smiled a little more when Hakaru reached out and hesitantly touched Akamaru's head. "Sorry for taking up your time, Inuzuka-sama, and thank you for helping me out with this. If you wouldn't mind…" He trailed off, wondering if what he wanted to ask was okay to ask.

"What?" Kiba asked bluntly, watching Hakaru pet Akamaru gently. He'd never seen anyone so afraid of dogs before, especially someone who smelled like a dog. No, it wasn't a dog that he smelled like. It was a wolf.

"Would you mind helping Hakaru get over his fear of dogs? I want him to be able to take care of himself when I'm not around." Jin replied hesitantly, glancing back at Kakashi, who just watched patiently.

"I guess." Kiba replied, glancing between Jin and Hakaru. He'd never seen either of these two around the village before, but it seemed to him that Jin, at least, was a shinobi. He wasn't sure about Hakaru, though. He seemed too...soft.

Jin smiled. "Thank you, Inuzuka-sama. In return for helping Hakaru-chan, why don't you and your family come for dinner tonight at Hatake-sama's home? I'm already making dinner, so you might as well come along. Speaking of…" He turned to Kakashi. "How about you invite Uzumaki-sama, Uchiha-sama, and Haruno-hime? It can be a little party."

Kakashi paused for a moment, as if unsure that was a good idea, but he couldn't find any reason that it wouldn't be. He wouldn't be the one feeding the Inuzuka's, so that, at least was a relief. "Sure."

Jin smiled at him. "Great. Let me call for Chika-hime, and she can send that message. She's very good at finding people." He bit his thumb, drawing blood, and placed it on the ground. There was a puff of smoke, and when it disappeared, there sat an average sized white dove.

"You called for me, Jin?" The dove cooed, cocking her head to the side. She flapped her wings in alarm when she saw the state of Jin's face. "Himeko-sama is going to be horrified when she sees your face! You're the one human she thinks is pretty! Oh no, oh no, oh no. She's gonna want revenge against whoever did this to you…" The scene earned a few strange looks from passersby, and from Kiba as well.

Jin heaved a sigh, shaking his head. "Chika-hime, focus. I need you to take a message around to some people, okay? I need you to tell them that we're having a little get-together at Kakashi's place for dinner. Take that message to Haruno Sakura-hime, Uchiha Sasuke-sama, and Uzumaki Naruto-sama please. Unless you'd rather I summoned Banri-sama to deliver the message. Though...he attracts far more attention than you do."

"Gah! Jin! I'll do it! Don't summon that ass-chewing cheetah! He has mange! And he tried to eat one of the little ones! Don't summon that monster! Let him chew his ass bloody in his own home!" Chika tipped over, flapping her wings rapidly to right herself. "I hate him! His breath smells like ass, and he has horrendous gas! Don't summon that cat!"

Jin shook with laughter, covering his mouth and trying his hardest not to let it escape. "C-Chika-hime…" He couldn't hold in his laughter any longer, and burst out laughing. "J-just get...going! Deliver that message...to them." He was having a hard time breathing, he was laughing so hard.

Chika huffed, but launched herself into the air. "You're so mean to me!" She shouted, soaring off to deliver the message she'd been given.

It took a few moments for Jin to calm down, but when he did, he couldn't wipe the smile off his face. "Ahh, sorry about that, guys. Inuzuka-sama, we will meet at Hatake-sama's place later. For now, we need to get some grocery shopping done, but how about you take Hakaru-chan with you? I'm sure he'll be safe in your hands."

Without waiting for an answer, Jin turned and steered Kakashi away with him.

* * *

What was supposed to be a small party had ended up turning into a large party, because Sakura had invited Ino, who had invited the rest of her team, as well as her teacher, and Kiba had invited the rest of his team, as well as his teacher, and then somehow a pair of green men and their two apparent teammates were invited. All in all, there were far too many people in Kakashi's small home.

However, Jin seemed to be having a good time, despite how many people were crammed in there. He was focused completely on making sure everyone got something to eat, since there were more guests than he had expected.

Chika perched herself on Jin's shoulder. "Why'd you have to go and invite that damned ass-chewer! He almost squished Yukito-kun just a few moments ago!" Hearing his name, a little spider poked his head out from under Chika's wing, fixing his gaze on Jin.

"He almost killed me again!" Yukito complained, leaping from the safety of Chika's wing to Jin's hair. "And when I tried to settle in that pink haired girl's hair, she almost killed me, too!"

Jin frowned a little. "Sorry, about that Yukito-sama. You know how Banri-sama is. I can't leave him out, and he's still not used to being friendly with prey animals and spiders. As for Haruno-hime…" He paused for a moment, and then glanced out into the living room. "Haruno-hime! Will you come in here and help for a moment?"

Sakura entered the kitchen after a few moments, frowning. Her expression was faintly haunted, but she seemed to be doing well despite what she'd had to do. "Jin-san, what is it?" She asked curiously, wedging herself into a corner while Inuzuka Tsume stormed in like a whirlwind, grabbing herself something to drink.

"Ahh, would you mind finishing that up? Everything is almost done." He pointed at a frying pan, where there was meat sizzling. "Also, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine that you nearly killed earlier. I understand that he's a little frightening to most people, but he's really very nice, and he's helped me out of a few tight situations in the past. Yukito-sama." He held his hand up to his hair, where the spider had nestled himself.

Sakura nearly shrieked when she saw the little spider disentangle himself from Jin's hair and crouch in his hand. Yukito, on the other hand, _did_ shriek. It seemed that poor Yukito was more afraid of Sakura than she was of him.

"Haruno-hime, this is Yukito-sama. You almost squished him earlier. You don't have to worry about anything. He's gentle and won't bite you. He just likes hiding in people's hair, where he's safe." Jin gently pet Yukito with his pinky finger, careful not to squish him.

Sakura gulped, staring at the spider, while she hesitantly set to work finishing up with the frying. "H-he's friendly…? Isn't he...isn't he v-venomous…?" She really wanted to shy away. Spiders gave her the creeps.

"Ahh, that's the great part, Haruno-hime. He's not venomous. In fact, when he bites you, he inserts a sort of cure-all into your bloodstream. If you've been poisoned or bitten by something venomous, he can cure you of it. Of course, that doesn't work with all poisons, but it's still useful." Jin set Yukito on the counter and finished up what he was working on. "So, if you don't mind, would you let him rest in your hair? He just wants to enjoy the party, and Banri-sama keeps trying to squish him."

"That ass-chewer is always trying to kill Yukito-kun! Someone oughta take care of him! We should get one of those dogs to teach him a lesson!" Chika thrust out one wing in a strange imitation of a punch.

"Chika-sama, please try to get along with Banri-sama." Jin glanced into the other room, where the albino cheetah lay sprawled across Naruto's and Sasuke's laps on the couch.

Sakura cleared her throat, waiting for Chika to settle back down before answering Jin's question. "Ahh...I g-guess…" She was a little afraid. "Y-you're sure he won't bite or anything…?" She watched as the spider skittered across the counter closer to her, and instinctively took a step backwards.

"Yes, I'm sure. He's very gentle." Jin reassured, scooping up the spider and setting him atop Sakura's head. "It might tickle a little until he finds a spot where he wants to settle down, but he won't hurt you."

Yukito burrowed beneath Sakura's pink hair, finding a spot he liked just behind her ear. "Thank you for letting me curl up here." He tangled his legs in her hair, so as not to fall out, not noticing that Sakura had gone completely rigid.

"S-so...Jin-san...You have three kinds of summons…?" Sakura asked awkwardly, trying to get her mind off the fact that she had a spider hanging out behind her ear. "I didn't realize you could have more than one kind…"

Jin nodded slightly. "Yeah, I stole Yukito-sama's scroll from my father when I was little. Everyone in the academy was impressed when I was able to summon a spider. Granted, I could only summon Yukito-sama, because I didn't have much control of my chakra then, and he's easy to summon compared to Sadako-sama." He shivered slightly when he mentioned the spider queen's name. "The late fourth Mizukage gave me the scroll for the doves when I was promoted to jounin. He thought the doves would suit me. I'm not sure where he found the scroll, though."

Sakura nodded slightly, beginning to adjust to the idea of having a spider behind her ear. "What about Banri-sama?" She glanced out at the cheetah, who had begun chewing on his rear end. Both Naruto and Sasuke seemed uncomfortable by what the cheetah was doing.

"Ah, yes, Banri-sama. Raizo gave me the summoning scroll for the cheetahs before…" Jin trailed off, shaking his head. "That doesn't really matter. Anyway, yes, you can have more than one summon. You just need to be very precise in the summoning. If you're not, it's possible to summon the wrong one."

"Oh, I see...that seems like it could be handy, though…" Sakura mumbled, and glanced back out at the crowd of shinobi in Kakashi's living room.

Jin smiled a bit, getting all the food together and taking it out on platters. He was a little surprised at how much the Akimichi boy ate, though he was glad that he seemed to like it. He'd already introduced himself to everyone there, and had helped Hakaru introduce himself.

"Here's some more food, you guys." He was glad to see that everyone was getting along, though Tsume was beginning to get a little scary. He set the platters down on the table, and watched as a food frenzy began. They reminded him vaguely of sharks.

"Jin-san!" Called one of the green men, the younger one. "You said you are from the Mist? I have never met anyone from the Mist. What is it like there?"

"Ah, Lee-sama, if I told you, I'd have to kill you." Jin replied playfully. He couldn't help but laugh when he gasped in horror. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Do you really want to know about Kiri? Or do you want to know about the whole region?"

Lee heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Phew! That's a relief! I would like to know whatever you can tell me, Jin-san. I am very interested in the ways of the Mist."

Jin tipped his head to the side slightly. "Well, the country is really just a bunch of small islands. Each one is very different. In most places, it's covered by a thick mist, earning its name. But I was born on the coldest island, where there was always snow. It's an eerily beautiful place, but I suppose it's rather violent. I was used in one of many of the civil wars because of my kekkei genkai." He didn't give anything away about Kiri, knowing that the Mizukage preferred to have the village secrets stay within those who lived there for the most part. He supposed that a brief history would be something that was generally common knowledge, and therefore safe to give away.

"Civil war! That's terrible! You were part of it?!" Lee leaned forward, as if anticipating his answer. Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma were paying close attention now.

"Yes, when I accidentally revealed my kekkei genkai, I was forced into the civil war to be used as a weapon. I was about six, then, I think, and already a shinobi. I was needed more in the civil war, though. If I didn't do use my kekkei genkai to fight for one side or the other, they would hurt me." Jin answered honestly, giving Lee a smile. "Though, no one is capable for making me fight for something I don't believe in anymore."

"I remember that." Banri cut in before Lee could respond, lifting his head from his rear end. "I think that's when Raizo first met you. He was in the same situation, yes? Different kekkei genkai, though. And if memory serves, the two of you were on opposing sides."

"Raizo?" Naruto asked curiously, leaning over the cheetah and staring at Jin. "Who's that?"

"Uzumaki-sama, I would prefer not to talk about Raizo." He turned back to Lee, smiling at him again. "The Land of Water is a very difficult place to describe. While I've explored almost every part of it, there are so many diversities that it is difficult to describe it in one way. Perhaps because it is so diverse-" Jin didn't get to finish his sentence before Naruto interrupted him.

"What's this about a kekkei genkai?! You have one? What kind?!" Naruto demanded. "Is it like Sasuke's Sharingan? Or Haku's ice?" He couldn't stop asking questions, so Jin waited until he quieted down before answering the questions he actually had answers to.

"Mine is like Haku-sama's. I have control over ice. Here, let me show you." Jin reached out and picked up Tsume's glass from the table. He smiled, and frost began to form a thin layer over the glass. The contents within the glass soon froze as well, and he tipped the glass over to demonstrate that it was, in fact, frozen. He handed the glass to its owner and smiled sheepishly. "I can't really reverse it, though, so whatever I freeze has to melt on its own."

"Whoa! That's so cool!" Naruto shouted. A few of the other genin there gathered closer, wanting another demonstration.

"Here, you guys, I'll show you something cooler."

* * *

The rest of the night went well, and as Jin watched the last of the guests depart, he smiled. He'd gotten to know all the Leaf shinobi a little better, and found that Konoha was a completely different place than Kiri. He'd known that, of course, but he'd never expected the differences to be so drastic.

Kiri was a dark, serious place. The shinobi didn't joke around with each other, instead putting all their time into their missions. For most of them, the humanity had be slashed away to be replaced with an indifferent air of arrogance. Those of the mist were known as the bloodiest in the five nations, and Jin was no exception. He even had his own title, like Zabuza had had his.

Konoha, on the other hand, was totally different from Kiri. The sun shone down on all those who inhabited the village, and even those who did not. Everyone here was happy, and held more of an emotional range than he'd seen from most people in his lifetime. These people enjoyed each other's company in a different way than the Mist did. They weren't reserved in their affections, or tied down in outdated traditions that caused more harm than good. The people here were genuinely kind and cared about each other in such an unreserved fashion, that Jin wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.

Jin shook himself out of his thoughts and said his goodnights to Kakashi, while he picked up a conked out Hakaru. Quietly, he took him back to the little room Kakashi was letting them use, and set him down on the bed, tucking him in gently.

"Goodnight, Hakaru-chan." He said softly, and laid down on the futon he'd rolled out to sleep on. He pulled a blanket up over him and closed his eyes. Within moments, he was asleep.

 _Flames licked the branches of the tree Jin had taken cover in to wrap his wounds, reminding him that he wasn't safe. The battle roared on below him, two factions of the Mist battling for a cause Jin didn't even understand._

 _He'd been tossed into the civil war without consideration for his age and experience. He was simply a weapon to be used to gain the upper hand. It hardly worked that way because the opposing faction had their own weapons with a kekkei genkai of their own._

 _Jin leapt out of the tree, rolling when he hit the ground to break his fall. Only six years old, he had seen unspeakable horrors, horrors that he had been unable to prevent. Horrors that he himself had committed. While he had no choice, the horrors haunted him._

 _Clashes of steel and the gurgling of dying warriors surrounded him, and then there was nothing but the pounding of his own blood in his ears. Time seemed to slow down._

 _Jin rose to his feet, ducking as someone swung a kunai at his throat. In this battle, no one paused to consider what they were doing. A blade of ice was thrust up through his attacker's chest, and left there to melt in its own time._

 _Now that he had rejoined the battle, bodies were dropping faster than before. He was a force to be reckoned with, even as a mere child. He had not chosen to partake in this war, but he sure as hell wasn't going to lose just because he didn't know what he was being forced to fight for. He was here to win a war, and that was what he was going to do._

 _Across the battlefield, a boy of the same age fought in much the same way. He hadn't chosen this war, either, but he was going to win it._

 _With a blade of his own bone, the boy slashed and killed all those who got in his way, a cheetah fighting by his side. His pure white hair, tied into a long braid and the red circle marks on his forehead gave away his heritage as a member of the Kaguya clan._

 _His pale green eyes, rimmed in red as the Kaguya's were, were drawn to the sight of a boy his own age killing his allies across the battlefield with flashes of ice, and even going so far as to make his opponent's blood explode out from the inside in spears of bloody red ice. While he held no attachment to his allies, he felt a pure rage towards the boy. He was not going to lose._

" _Banri-sama! I'm going to kill him!" The Kaguya boy called to the cheetah, ducking beneath the other battles and crossing the battlefield. Once close enough, he swung his blade of bone at the other boy, surprised to find that he didn't even glance over, an icy shield rising up to protect him immediately._

 _Jin turned to face his attacker, eyes narrowed slightly. He recognized the boy as a member of the Kaguya family, known for their strange kekkei genkai. "You're the same as me. My fight isn't with you. I won't hurt those that are being used the same way I am." He spun around again, taking out another opponent, and moving onto the next one._

" _No! You're going to fight me! I have to kill my enemies!" The Kaguya shouted, launching himself at Jin again, only to be blocked by the ice again. "I have to, or they'll hurt me!"_

 _Jin stopped and turned to him again. "They told me the same thing." He said, his eyes widening slightly. "Why are they all fighting when they all agree that we're just weapons?" He gulped, staring at the Kaguya boy with a new understanding. "Why do they all hate us so much?"_

 _The Kaguya boy was about to answer when Banri darted over, nudging him towards safety. "Get out of here, Raizo! I saw one of them planting exploding tags all over the area."_

 _They did not meet again for several years._

Jin woke with a start, his hands shaking, and his clothes soaked through with sweat. The memory had felt so real, always felt so real. Slowly, he sat up and ran his hand through his hair. He couldn't sit there. He had to get out.

Memories from that time brought him into a dark state of mind, and he'd found that the only way to shake it off was to walk until he couldn't walk anymore, or at least get enough fresh air to calm himself down.

Jin rose to his feet, and slipped on his standard shinobi sandals. Then he quietly left the room, making sure not to disturb Hakaru. He made his way to the front door, opening it and leaving quietly. He was too out of it to realize that Kakashi had seen him leave, and had decided to follow him for a little bit. He hadn't seen that sort of expression on his face before, and it was odd to see. He had such a pretty face that Kakashi hadn't considered that he could wear those sorts of expressions.

Jin didn't know where he was going; he was just going. The village was peaceful at night, and it was beginning to calm him already. It seemed that Konoha was a village that was easy to feel at ease in, easy to recover. It was nice in a way.

With a small sigh, he found a bench and sat down. He put his face in his hands for a moment, and then looked up at the starry night sky. "You can come out. You don't have to hide."

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story so far! A little bit more about Jin's past this time, but there is definitely more to come, as far as reveals. I'd also like to mention that Jin is the sort of person to 'pick up strays,' so to speak. So, with that little hint, maybe some things in the near or far future will make sense. Thanks again for reading!**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Not that I mind or anything, Hatake-sama, but why are you following me? Shouldn't you be asleep?" Jin spoke softly, staring up at the stars as Kakashi came to sit next to him. "It's rather late to be up and stalking me, no matter how pretty I am." There was a teasing lilt to his voice now.

"I could ask the same of you. It's rather suspicious for foreign shinobi to be out in the dead of night. Someone might get the wrong idea." Kakashi pointed out, studying Jin's face. "But I don't think you're up to anything."

"I suppose that's a fair point. I just needed some fresh air, though." He glanced at him and smiled sweetly. "I don't sleep well at night. I like to take walks, though. It's calm and quiet. Easier to think and clear my head when everyone else is asleep."

Kakashi nodded slightly, understanding how that felt. There were still nights when he was reminded of Rin, and of what he'd done to her, intentional or not. It wasn't nearly as bad now, but the pain and guilt remained. He wondered if Jin had suffered something similar.

"You don't have to worry about me causing any trouble. Konoha is a very peaceful place, and I don't want to do anything to change that. The people here are so kind, so much kinder than in Kiri. To be honest, I think this village has made me go soft, despite the fact that I haven't been here for very long yet. I've been treated better here than I ever was back in Kiri. The village I was born in is still the kindest I've ever been to, aside from a few people, but...it's not the same. What is it with this village? It's so full of life." Jin wasn't used to the kindness he'd experienced here, especially since he was a foreign shinobi.

"Is that so?" Kakashi couldn't help but smile beneath his mask. Jin was a little odd, but he didn't think he was that bad of a person. Though he did wonder how badly people treated each other in Kiri for Jin to be amazed by what was generally common courtesy in Konoha.

"Yeah. It's much nicer here, though I must admit that the weather is rather difficult to deal with. It's too hot here." Jin wrinkled his nose a little. "I'm glad you have air conditioning. Without it, I would probably have keeled over dead by now. Raizo's probably laughing at my suffering right now, wherever he's at." He puffed his cheeks out in a pout and let out a huff.

Kakashi watched Jin curiously. He mentioned this 'Raizo' a lot, yet didn't seem to want to talk about him. But really, it was none of his business, anyway, even though the sadness in Jin's voice made him curious. "Well, you did say earlier tonight that you were born in the coldest part of Water Country. Try not to turn my place into an ice box, though." He teased.

That got a laugh out of Jin, a real laugh. Generally, he was a very open person, but he often restrained his reactions around people he wasn't very comfortable with. He wasn't doing that now. "You're funny. I like you." He said, now trying to stifle a yawn.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile a little more. "Well, you should be getting some rest now. You just got out of the hospital, and you don't want to end up sick now, do you?"

Jin heaved an exaggerated sigh. "I suppose you're right." He began to pout again, getting up slowly. For a moment, he swayed, as if dizzy. Then he felt a hand on his back, supporting him. Knowing it was just Kakashi, he managed not to tense up. As a general rule, he didn't like being touched without permission, unless it was by someone he was close with or if he initiated contact first. "Thank you. I still haven't recovered all my chakra, and I'm prone to this sort of thing when I'm running low. One of the hassles of having a large chakra reserve; it takes a few days to recover fully, and what's low for me, wouldn't be for someone else. I'm a bit reckless with how much I use, though, so I guess I should admit."

"You should be more careful, Jin-san." Kakashi began to guide him back to his place slowly, frowning a little more.

"Haven't I told you to just call me by my name, Hatake-sama? Just 'Jin' is fine with me. You don't need to use honorifics with me." Jin wrinkled his nose.

"Then just call me Kakashi." Came the copy-nin's retort. "You certainly don't need to use the 'sama' honorific with me. It's a bit excessive."

Jin looked scandalized. "I'm not familiar enough with you for something like that, Hatake-sama! Besides, I'm of lower rank than anyone here. It would be disrespectful to use any other honorific, or, god forbid, just your name." He shook his head rapidly. "I can't do that, Hatake-sama."

"Don't make yourself dizzy again." Kakashi said, just as Jin began to sway again. "Jin-san, you shouldn't have left while you're still recovering." With a sigh, he pulled Jin's arm around his neck, and then secured his own arm around his waist to help support him.

"Hatake-sama, I'll be fine. Thank you for your help and concern, though. I appreciate it." Jin leaned against him slightly, smiling. "I'm sorry that I'm such a hassle. I haven't been able to do anything useful the whole time I've been here…" He shook his head slightly, letting Kakashi help him inside once they were back at his place.

"That's not true." Kakashi said, taking him over to the table and sitting him down in one of the seats. He sat across from him, studying Jin's face in the dim light that Kakashi had left on before going to follow the Mist shinobi. "You made sure that Sakura stayed safe when you were both taken."

"Ahh, now that you bring that up, where were the three of you when we were being taken away? I didn't sense your chakra. Though, I suppose that may be because I'm not a sensor type. When it comes to it, I can really only sense those that I'm really close with from farther distances away." Jin shrugged a bit. "I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. In the end, everything ended up fine, I guess. None of us suffered permanent injury, though I am still concerned about Haruno-hime's mental state…" He was beginning to ramble a little now.

"Relax, we just got stuck dealing with the aftermath of our investigation into the courtesan houses. That woman, Suzume Aiko, I think her name was, mistook Sasuke for one of her younger courtesans." Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly, and shook his head.

"I see…" Jin glanced down at the table, thinking for a moment. Then he let out a sigh and decided that he would need to speak with Sasuke again tomorrow. "I apologize for that situation. I didn't think she'd just go and try to pick up more children just like that." He shook his head, and then smiled at Kakashi. "Say, I don't think I saw you eat once when everyone was here. You must be hungry, right? I'll make you something. After all, I did promise you dinner in exchange for taking care of Hakaru-chan."

"Don't worry about it. I ate plenty today." Kakashi said cheerily, closing his eye in a smile. "You should go back to bed, though."

Jin shook his head. "I don't believe you. I was watching all of you closely, and I saw that you didn't eat a thing. I'm a little offended." He puffed his cheeks up and got up. "No arguments. It's important to take care of your health. And if you weren't eating because you didn't want anyone to see your face, you don't have to worry; I won't look at you while you eat."

Kakashi wanted to protest, but he could tell by the way Jin spoke that there would be no point in it. "Fine, fine." He gave in with an exasperated sigh, and then glanced at what he'd been studying earlier, before he'd followed Jin. It was the ANBU mask that had been shattered in the fight that he himself had not witnessed between Jin and the missing nin Sakura had killed. Sakura had picked up every single piece with Naruto's help, and had somehow figured out how to piece the whole thing back together. She'd asked him to return it to the Mist shinobi when he woke up, but Jin had been so impatient, and had been so busy despite the fact that he needed to rest and recover as the nurse had told him to.

Jin smiled and set to work cooking up something simple for Kakashi. He'd become quite adept at cooking, though that was most likely because he had been forced to cook for his parents when they got too drunk, or when they decided that they didn't want to feed him. But he'd really gotten good at it when he'd taken in Hakaru. Hakaru had had no one else to take care of him, and Jin had wanted him to grow up healthy. He loved him dearly as his little brother.

It wasn't long before Jin had finished cooking and dished it onto a plate. He'd made tonkatsu, and was rather proud of how the deep-fried pork cutlet had turned out. "Here you are." He smiled, setting the plate down in front of Kakashi. He didn't notice his mask on the table, instead turning around and going about cleaning the dishes that he'd made.

Kakashi studied him for a moment before slowly removing his mask. When he was sure that Jin was focused on the dishes, and not his face, he began to eat. He had to admit that the food was quite tasty.

When Jin finished cleaning up his mess, he kept his back turned, staring quietly out one of the windows. He was relaxed, quietly lost in thought. He supposed that Kakashi was a kind person. He had helped him twice now, first when he'd lost consciousness on the way back to Konoha from wherever they had ended up, and second when Kakashi had helped him home earlier that night when he'd been dizzy.

The copy-nin finished eating and pulled his mask back up over his face. He got up and went into the kitchen, reaching in front of Jin to put the plate in the sink.

"Ahh, sorry." Jin moved out of the way and offered him a smile. He turned to head back to the room he and Hakaru were currently sharing. "I'm gonna try to get some rest. Goodnight."

"Wait, Jin-san. Sakura asked me to give something to you. I haven't had much of a chance because you've insisted on running around all day, despite your nurse's warning to rest." Kakashi returned to the table, picking up the mask as Jin turned around.

"Oh, is that…? It broke during the battle…" Jin stepped closer to Kakashi and took the mask as it was offered to him. He could see the fine lines where it had broken, but they were hardly noticeable. Even the paint that had chipped off when it had broken had been fixed with a fresh layer, matching the design it had had before nearly perfectly. "I...Haruno-hime...did...this…?" He was at a loss for words. "Why…?"

Kakashi nodded slightly, a little surprised at Jin's shocked expression. "She felt bad that it broke when you were protecting her. She and Naruto fixed it together. Naruto helped her find the pieces."

"I…" Only three people in Jin's life had ever been so kind to him before, and he was very close to all of them. He hardly knew Sakura, and yet she had gone to the trouble to piece together his mask. It was enough to bring him to tears. He quickly looked away, trying to hide the tears that threatened to spill. "She's such a kind girl. I...I don't know what to say…" He couldn't wipe the smile from his face. She reminded him vaguely of Kaoru and how sweet he had been while he was alive. She was so very kind. "She reminds me of my baby brother a little…"

"You should get some rest now." Kakashi said, pretending not to notice the catch in Jin's voice, or the tears that he'd noticed before he'd turned away. "It's late and you're still recovering. Goodnight." He turned and went off to his own room.

Jin stared at the mask for a moment longer before turning and returning to the futon in the room he shared with Hakaru. He didn't have any trouble sleeping after that.

* * *

Jin woke up feeling more well-rested than he had in years. He slowly got up and smoothed out his hair, which stuck up at odd angles. He saw immediately that Hakaru had left already, probably to shadow Kiba. He'd arranged for him to hang out with Kiba at least once or twice a week, unless it conflicted with missions Kiba had, to continue trying to get over his fear of dogs.

When he shuffled out of the room, he noticed that Kakashi was also gone. With a sigh, he turned back around and went back into the room. Since they were gone, he supposed it would be a good time to set up the two little shrines he had for Kaoru and Raizo.

Jin sat down in front of the window, and grabbed a sealed scroll that he had set on the windowsill. He opened it and took out the two framed pictures he had.

The first picture was of Kaoru smiling brightly into the camera. His violet eyes sparkled, and his gap-toothed smile was incredibly infectious. The picture was old and worn in a few places, but had otherwise survived all this time very well. He set the picture in the windowsill and set a small bowl in front of it for offerings. He couldn't completely make a shrine for either of his dearly departed, but he did the best he could with what he had.

The second picture was of a man who looked a few years younger than Jin was now. His white hair was braided in the way it had been on the fateful day that they had met, though it was certainly longer. His lips were curved into a gentle smile, and he looked relaxed and at peace, despite his Kaguya heritage. Something silver glinted on his finger, but it was impossible to tell what it was because of the angle the picture had been taken at.

Jin smiled a little, and placed down a second small bowl in front of Raizo's picture. He stared at it for a moment before getting up and shuffling over to the nightstand next to the bed that he'd had Hakaru use instead of himself. He took out a few more pictures and set them on it, smiling at each one. One of Raizo and himself. Two of Raizo and himself playing with Hakaru. One of just Hakaru and Raizo. One of just Hakaru and himself. And the last of Zabuza, Haku, and himself. He had more pictures of Raizo and Hakaru, of course, but he didn't want to take up too much more space.

Once he was done with that, he grabbed a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom. He was feeling much better today, and he felt even better when he got in the shower. He didn't take a long shower, just long enough to wake him up.

Jin slipped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying himself off. He got dressed, and dried off his hair. He ran his fingers through it to smooth it out, and then turned and left the bathroom. He wasn't hungry, so he just pulled on his shinobi sandals, and tied his Mist headband around his neck, where it normally rested when he wasn't in his ANBU uniform, and headed out for the day.

He had a checklist today. First, he needed to speak with Sasuke to make sure he was alright. Then he needed to thank Sakura and Naruto for fixing his mask. After that, he was planning on speaking with the children they had manage to rescue. He needed to figure out how to stop whatever was going on. And last, he was going to return to the place he and Sakura had been taken to explore it more thoroughly. He had a busy day ahead of him.

It didn't take long to find Sasuke; he was training in the training grounds by himself. It seemed that he never took a day off. He turned around when he heard Jin approach, his expression unreadable.

"Uchiha-sama, you're up early this morning." Jin smiled at him for a moment before his expression turned serious. "I heard that you were held up by Suzume-sama. Was that what you wanted to talk about yesterday?"

Sasuke stiffened a little, staring at Jin. "No, I had no trouble dealing with her." He replied, turning his gaze away. He turned and resumed practicing throwing shuriken. His aim was near perfect, only one flying slightly off course. Perhaps it was because he was rattled by Jin's questions.

"I see. I'm glad nothing happened." Jin relaxed a little, watching him quietly. "However, Uchiha-sama, I can see that there is something seriously wrong. I get the feeling that for too long, no one has bothered to wonder how you're _really_ doing. I've seen how Haruno-hime acts around you. It makes me wonder if anyone has ever seen you for who you really are, rather than for your heritage. It makes me wonder if that's why very few people seem to have noticed that you're not okay."

"Mind your own business!" Sasuke snapped, throwing one shuriken with more force than necessary. "You don't know anything. I'm perfectly fine."

Jin smiled faintly. "Uchiha-sama, I've been saying those words long enough myself to know that they're a lie. Come on, let's find somewhere to sit for a bit." He put his hand on Sasuke's back and guided him away from his target practice. "I'm talking to you as an outsider looking in. This is just what I've seen. As I've said before, I don't know your circumstances. I want to help you because I can't stand to see children suffering."

The pair stopped at a small creek, and at Jin's nudging, Sasuke sat down. He didn't say a word, not wanting to talk to Jin. What did he know, anyway? He couldn't possibly understand his suffering! However, before he could say just that, Jin began to speak.

"I grew up in a land known for its civil wars, for its hatred and fear of those who had the misfortune of possessing a kekkei genkai. That aside, the Land of Water itself isn't a hospitable place. The people are not, either. When I was little, I had a dream to become a powerful shinobi. However, my family was poor. Not so much that we ever went without, but enough so that when I began at the Academy, my mother had to become a courtesan to help pay for that. Both her and my stepfather started drinking not long after that. They were not kind people when they were drinking like that. My mother ended up forcing me to work at the same courtesan house she worked in during all my spare time to help pay for it. Working there during the day wasn't so bad. It was just people who wanted to talk because they had no one else to talk to. The nights, however, were when the undesirables came to play." Jin took a moment to think and clear his throat.

Sasuke watched him closely, eyes narrowed slightly. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked, crossing his arms.

Jin leaned back a little, watching the creek's current carry away twigs and leaves. "Let me finish, please." He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes. "When I was four, my stepfather lost his mind. Ever since he'd started drinking heavily, he'd started hitting my half-brother, and myself whenever we upset him. He's a shinobi of the Mist, like I am, so as you can imagine, he hits rather hard. Anyway, one night, he came home and, long story short, killed my baby brother because I couldn't keep him quiet. The next year, just after my fifth birthday, I passed the graduation exam and barely a year after that, I was forced into one of the many civil wars. I was used as a weapon to help quash down the opposing side, whether or not I believed in what I was being forced to fight for." He paused for a moment. "I guess I'm telling you this because I know what it's like to have your childhood taken away from you. I suffered a lot because of things I couldn't control. I didn't have anyone to help me back then, and I wish I had. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I'm here to talk if you want to. I may not know your circumstances, and I may not know what it's like to go through the same things, but I do know what it's like to be alone, to suffer. I know what it's like to want revenge, to want to die, to want to destroy everything around me. I know what it's like to wish I could change the past. For as long as I am here, in Konoha, I'll be here for you, for Uzumaki-sama, for Haruno-hime, for Hatake-sama, for whoever needs me. You don't have to suffer and carry this burden alone."

He went quiet after that, licking his lips and taking a deep breath. He glanced at Sasuke, a bit worried when he hadn't said anything for a while. He was rather shocked to see that the poor kid was breaking down, his eyes wide with shock. He sat rigidly, trying his hardest not to lose it completely.

"Uchiha-sama...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you so much. Forgive me." He put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder gently, hoping to reassure him. "But you don't always have to be so strong. Don't bottle everything up inside, okay? You can't move forward with your life until you stop living in the past. Though, I suppose it makes me a hypocrite to say that, since I can't leave the past behind." He smiled a bit, and pulled Sasuke into a gentle hug. "Uchiha-sama, please tell me what's wrong. Think of me as a sibling. Anything you say to me will be in confidence, and I will never tell another soul."

"I...I…" Sasuke paused to clear his throat so that his voice wouldn't tremble. "I...everyone's dead." He whispered, staring down blankly. "He killed them all...even...even mother and father." A tremor ran through him as he remembered that night.

Jin stroked Sasuke's hair gently, in the same way he had done with Hakaru when he had still had nightmares and fits of panic in his younger years, and the same way he had done with Kaoru when they had lost all hope of their parents becoming kind once more. He stayed quiet, though, not wanting to keep Sasuke from letting it all like he seemed to need to.

"My...brother...killed them all. My whole clan...is dead because he killed them…" He hadn't really ever said much to anyone about what had happened that night. Now it was all flooding forth, like water from a broken dam.

Jin didn't know what to say. He was appalled by just the thought of that. He didn't understand how someone could do something so terrible. Family was precious, blood related or not, and something that shouldn't be thrown away so easily. It enraged him to think that someone could be so heartless as to destroy their family. He didn't know the circumstances behind it, but to him, it didn't matter. What Sasuke's brother had done was unforgivable.

"Shh, Uchiha-sama, shh...don't cry." He could see the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "It's going to be alright now."

"I...I'm going to kill him." Sasuke couldn't keep his voice from trembling any longer. "I'm going to kill him."

"Uchiha-sama…" Jin shook his head slightly, but didn't try to dissuade him. Instead, he continued to stroke his hair in an attempt to calm him. "I'm going to tell you something that I had to tell Hakaru-chan a few years ago, okay? Someone very close to him was killed, and he spent his days crying and crying, and wondering why he had to die and leave him behind." He was changing the telling just a little bit because he didn't want to think about what he himself had gone through during that same time. "So, I told him that it was just his time. I'm not saying that he was destined to die just then, but that it was a time that he was happy and had no regrets. I told him that even though he was gone from this earth, he was still far above, watching his progress. I told him that he wouldn't want to see Hakaru-chan so sad, that he would want him to have the strength to move on and understand that just because he was dead, did not mean that he was gone forever. Uchiha-sama, life and death are funny things. They are beautiful and tragic, and neither could exist without the other. People live, and people die, and sometimes there's nothing we can do to change or stop that. Those loved ones of ours that have long since passed or just recently passed are gone from this earth, but they are not gone from our hearts or the world they entered when they left this one. What I'm trying to say, is that even though your family is gone, they are still watching you, and they still love you dearly."

Sasuke seemed to listen quietly, though he didn't look up or acknowledge what Jin was saying just yet.

"We, as shinobi, are not supposed to show our emotions, not supposed to let things get to us, but I don't think that's always good. On the battlefield, yes, but in situations like yours, it should be okay to let it out. If you keep everything bottled up inside, you'll shatter yourself, or you'll become the monster you saw, but never thought you could become." Jin patted his head gently, offering him a small smile. "Come on, I've got some things to do today, and you're welcome to help me out if you want. I promise this time, that it'll be much less dangerous. No one will be kidnapped or anything. Wipe your tears, alright?" He let go of Sasuke and got to his feet. He stretched his legs out a little. "Aww, man, I forgot my umbrella."

"Idiot." Sasuke muttered as he got to his feet, though it wasn't malicious. He'd wiped his tears and reverted to his usual expression, embarrassed to have been so vulnerable. "Let's just go. What did you need to do?"

"Ahh, I need to thank Haruno-hime and Uzumaki-sama for fixing my mask, and I need to speak with the children who were held captive, though that can wait until they've rested more, and then I need to return to the place where they were kept to investigate it more thoroughly. I didn't have much chance before because we needed to get the children out of there. Though...I did pass out before we got back, I so really don't know where that is…" Jin frowned, thinking quietly. "That doesn't matter right now. Let's just go find Haruno-hime and Uzumaki-sama."

Sasuke didn't reply, instead starting off ahead of him. He had a feeling he already knew where Naruto was, though he thought it would be a little more difficult to find Sakura, since she didn't do the same thing every day at the same time, like Naruto did. He supposed that sooner or later she would conveniently show up wherever he was at, though. "I know where Naruto will be."

Jin smiled and followed him closely. "Great. Thanks, Uchiha-sama." He studied Sasuke for a moment. He hoped that he had managed to help the poor kid even just a little. He hated to see people suffer, and always tried his hardest to help in any way he could. He couldn't just do nothing, just the same as when he had found Hakaru as a little kid. He wondered if he just had a habit of picking up strays, metaphorically speaking. He shrugged to himself. That probably wasn't the case. Hakaru was the only person he had taken in like that.

The pair ended up at Ichiraku's, where Naruto was slurping down ramen, as per usual. Really, Jin should have expected to find Naruto there to begin with, judging by how his first day in Konoha had gone. They slipped into the seats on either side of him.

"Hey there, Uzumaki-sama. Thanks for helping Haruno-hime with fixing my mask. You didn't have to do that, but I really appreciate it." Jin smiled at him and ruffled his hair the same way he did with Hakaru.

"Ehehehe, it was no problem! I wanted to help Sakura-chan." Naruto beamed, wiping his face. "It was hard finding all the pieces, though! You really broke that thing." He tipped his head to the side slightly.

"Ahh, no, I'm not the one who broke it. I was just hit so hard that it shattered. Honestly, I'm surprised that there wasn't more damage to my face." Jin rubbed his badly bruised cheek, wincing at the tenderness of it.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura poked her head inside, blinking. "Naruto? Jin-san? What's going on? I thought I heard you here…"

Jin glanced over and smiled at her. "Hey, Haruno-hime. It's nice to see you. Hatake-sama passed along my mask from you. Thank you for fixing it for me. You're far too kind. I was just about to go looking for you to thank you."

"Oh...it was no problem at all. You protected me, so it was the least I could do…" Sakura looked away awkwardly.

"I didn't protect you. Sure, I stepped in, but you saved my life. You made it possible to come back to Hakaru-chan. Thank you." Jin reached over and ruffled her hair. "Moving on, though, do you two want to come with us to where the children were kept? Uchiha-sama and I were going to go see what more we could find. You're welcome to come along."

"I'll come with!" Naruto said, leaping to his feet. "Lemme just finish my ramen…" He plopped back down and began gulping down the rest of the bowl. He finished in a matter of minutes and forked over his money. "Let's go!"

Sakura giggled a little at Naruto's antics. She hadn't really been doing very well since they'd returned. What she'd done had been weighing heavily on her mind. It was nice to see Naruto acting like his normal self now. It cheered her up a little. "I'll come with, too."

Jin got to his feet. "Great, let's stop at Hatake-sama's place for a minute, though, so that I can change and leave a note."

Quickly, the four of them made their way to Kakashi's place, Jin letting them all in, while he went to change. He grabbed his spare ANBU uniform, though he left his mask behind. He went into the bathroom, and changed into it quickly. He pulled on his metal plated gloves, and flexed his fingers. They were still plenty flexible, despite the fact that the metal plates on the backs were dented slightly. The metal on the fingers of his gloves were still perfectly in shape, which was all that mattered If those were bent out of shape, he wouldn't be able to bend his fingers properly, and would risk breaking them in the event of a fight.

Jin stepped out of the bathroom, pleased to find the three genin still waiting for him. "Let me just write the note, and we'll get going, alright?" He smiled and went into the kitchen, grabbing a pen and paper along the way. He leaned over the table, writing a note for whenever Kakashi came home, mentioning where they were going.

"Hey, are you done yet?! I wanna get going!" Naruto called from near the front door. There was a yelp as Sakura hit him, and heavy sigh of irritation from Sasuke.

"Yes, yes, please don't fight, alright? Out you go. One of you needs to take the lead, since I have absolutely no idea where I'm going, though. Uchiha-sama, perhaps that had better be you." Jin replied, nudging them all out the door.

Sasuke nodded slightly, and led them to the village gates, where they would then be able to move more quickly. Once they were out, he broke into a dash, leaping from tree to tree. The others followed close behind as he navigated the way there.

It took maybe an hour and a half to get there because of their speed. The area looked completely normal, as if there weren't some sort of holding place for kidnapped children in the area. But there were a few things that were suspicious. First, there was none of the typical rustling of small animals or chirping of songbirds in the area. Second, the ground was all torn up in one area, revealing a rough, wooden trapdoor.

"This is it?" Jin asked quietly, approaching the trapdoor. He leaned down and grabbed the handle, pulling the trapdoor up easily. He peered down into the darkness, listening for any sounds. There was nothing. It was dead silent. "Okay, it sounds safe enough. Let's go." He lowered himself down onto the ladder, and then slid down the whole way. It seemed that the place was deep underground, because it took longer than he had expected to reach the bottom. He stepped away from the ladder when he was at the bottom and waited for the other three.

Sakura took her time going down the ladder, being careful not to slip and fall off. She was being cautious, which was smarter than what Naruto ended up doing once she was out of the way. He just jumped down, ignoring the ladder altogether. He landed fine, but it wasn't exactly smart. Sasuke, on the other hand, slid down in the same way Jin had. It was definitely safer than what Naruto had done.

"Alright guys, I'm going to lay down some rules right now, just so that there aren't any problems. First off, we all stick together. I don't want to end up getting separated for some reason or another. I'm certain that we won't run into anyone down here, but it's better to be safe than sorry, you know. Second, none of you are allowed to touch anything. If you see something odd or suspicious, let me know right away. I don't want you setting off any traps or anything and getting yourselves hurt. Last, you will not tell anyone who isn't already involved about what we find here. Hatake-sama can, of course, know, but I don't want you telling your friends about this. We don't know what we're dealing with yet, here." Jin blocked the path forward, knowing they couldn't see him in the dark. "Come on."

Each of the genin nodded in agreement, following Jin closely. The place was rather eerie, especially now that it was so dark and quiet. Jin lit a match, lighting up just a little bit of the area.

The hallway was narrow, and Jin barely remembered Kakashi half carrying him through it when he'd found them. It was cold down there, like a cellar or a basement. It was definitely not suited for holding captive children, though he doubted that even if the children could have gotten to the ladder, they wouldn't have been able to climb up it fast enough to escape.

He wasn't surprised when the hallway opened up into the room where Sakura had saved his life, and though Ryuu's body was now gone, presumably taken away by whoever had come after they had left, the ground was still stained with his blood, and with Jin's own blood as well. Behind him, he heard a sharp intake of breath from Sakura.

"It's okay now." He said softly, guiding them across the room. The only other passage was through the door on the other side of the room, leading to the place where the children had been kept. "Uzumaki-sama, Uchiha-sama, please take Haruno-hime's hands. There's no one here, so you don't need to be worried about an ambush. Haruno-hime needs your support right now." He didn't glance back, but he hoped that the two had done as he'd asked.

The four of them went through the door, and stopped once inside. Though nothing had been shifted, there was the terrible feeling of something wrong. It was as if something so terrible had happened that it had left some sort of intangible imprint within these next few rooms.

There weren't any other doors in this room, except the one that the children had apparently been taken through one by one. The same room where Jin had caused a bloodbath. He was rather relieved that none of them had seen what he was really capable of, though even that was just a fraction of his power.

When they entered the next room, Sakura gasped in horror at the sight of the bloodstained walls and floor, the only remnants of what Jin had caused all on his own. "W-what happened in here?!" She asked, trying to hide her fright. She hadn't ever seen anything like this before.

"Haruno-hime, please don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to." Jin said quietly, ignoring the bloodstains and immediately going to the door across the room, where he'd found the little girl. He hadn't had a chance to look around in there before because of the situation they had been in, but now they could look at what exactly had been going on in that room. "You three should stay out here for now." He said when they reached the door. "I'll be right back."

Without waiting for them to complain, he opened the door and slipped into the room, glancing around at what the tiny match's light showed. Though he didn't know what exactly had been in this room, he could tell that someone had come by to take important evidence away before anyone else could find it.

At first, Jin thought the trip out there would be a total waste. Despite that, he was thorough in his investigation, and was glad that he had been, because of what he managed to find wedged underneath a heavy chair that had been overturned for one reason or another. Beneath, laid two syringes, one half full of some strange blue liquid, and the other full of something akin to sludge.

He reached inside his pocket, and grabbed a spare scroll, glad that he had brought it. He opened it, and carefully sealed the two syringes inside, careful not to prick himself with them when he picked them up.

Jin turned and left the room, replacing the scroll where it belonged as he did so. He hoped that they would at least be able to figure out what they were trying to do with the children with this evidence.

"What took so long?!" Naruto demanded, frowning at Jin. He and Sasuke both were still holding Sakura's hands, to keep her at ease. "You were in there a long time!"

Jin smiled. "I found something that may give us some leads. We can go now, and we'd better hurry. I don't like the feeling this place gives off. Something's not right." His expression grew serious, and he nudged the three young shinobi back out the way they'd come.

The four made it back to the ladder without any problems. Naruto went first, followed by Sakura, and then Sasuke, and finally Jin. All of them blinked rapidly in an attempt to get used to the bright sun again, and none of them noticed the quiet clicking sound that came from the passage below them at first.

Then Jin froze. There was the sound of a small explosion down below them, as if it had come from the room where he had found the syringes. Then it grew louder, as if the initial explosion had set off a chain reaction. His eyes widened slightly, and he leapt into action, shoving the three genin forward in an attempt to get them moving.

They all managed to get several feet away before the explosions reached the surface, setting off another round of explosive tags that had been hidden well in the leafy branches of the trees around them. They were all knocked to the side and into the ground or a tree.

None of them moved until the explosions died down, and then Jin shakily rose to his feet, bleeding profusely from his shoulder. His ears were ringing and his vision temporarily blurry from the blast. He turned and slowly made his way to where the other three were shakily rising to their feet.

"W-who would do something like that?" Sakura asked, her teeth chattering as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Jin shook his head slightly."Someone didn't want to risk us finding anything in there. It looks as if they rigged the whole place. We're not dealing with a simple trafficking ring. We're dealing with something far more serious."

 **Author's Note: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, especially the scene between Jin and Kakashi. There hasn't been a lot of that yet, so I'm glad I could get that part in. The chapter ended up longer than I thought it would, which is why it took so long. I hope you're enjoying it so far, though! Thanks for reading, and feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Jin paced around Kakashi's place, frowning a little. He'd left just a little while after they had returned with his students to inform them of the Chuunin Exams. He was very worried that Kakashi would be mad at him for nearly getting his students blown up. He'd really thought it would be safe.

He was never good in situations like these. Waiting for punishment was not his strong suit, and the suspense was killing him. He didn't deal well when anger was directed towards him as well, and he could tell that Kakashi had not been happy when he'd left, though he hadn't stayed long enough to ask Jin anything.

And so Jin waited, not bothering to treat the wound he had received from the explosion. His ice kept it from bleeding, so he wasn't at risk for bleeding out, thankfully. Still, he supposed dying a painful death would be less painful than waiting like this. He was scared out of his mind, having no idea what Kakashi would do. Many possibilities crossed his mind.

Would he hit him? Yell at him? Cut him? Burn him? Kick him out? He couldn't keep himself from imagining the worst case scenarios, even though he didn't think that Kakashi would harm him. He couldn't help the awful thoughts running through his mind. Anxiety made him pace faster. Though he was used to that sort of abuse, he was still terrified of receiving it, which in turn made him ashamed. He was a shinobi, and should be able to deal with something like that easily. It wasn't like he was helpless. No, he was a weapon, but somehow every time it happened, his reactions stayed the same as they always had.

He didn't even notice Kakashi come in, until he cleared his throat. Evidently, he had been watching Jin pace for quite a while so far.

Jin nearly jumped out of his skin, looking as if he'd seen a ghost. He stopped and stared at Kakashi, much like a cornered animal. He didn't speak, not trusting his voice yet.

"So, you went back to look for evidence, with my students. The note was appreciated, but I would have preferred to come along." So far, Kakashi sounded as if he were just making friendly conversation. "You nearly got my students killed, you know."

Jin shrank back, staring at Kakashi and waiting for him to explode into a rage. "Ahh...y-yes, I did. I'm s-sorry." He took a few steps backwards, as if trying to escape. "I s-shouldn't have t-taken them along without y-you there."

Kakashi watched him quietly, wondering why he was so cagey all of sudden. Jin looked like he thought he was going to hurt him. Eyes wide and frantic. Hands shaking violently. Fearful steps backwards. His stuttering. It didn't help that he looked beat to hell and back, partly from the still healing bruises from his battle, and partly from the explosion that he had just survived. It was strange, but he looked _vulnerable_ , so different from his typical carefree attitude. "Jin-san, I'm not going to hurt you."

Despite that assurance, Jin didn't relax. He didn't know Kakashi well enough to trust his words at face value, even though his voice was sincere. "H-how can I know t-that? I h-hardly know y-you." His gaze flickered to the door, and then to the window as he contemplated his escape routes.

"Because, even though I'm not happy that you put my students in danger and only left a note, that's no reason to hurt you. Not to mention the fact that harming you would damage relations between the Mist and the Leaf. I'm not angry at you, but it was stupid of you to do something like that when you're not even back to full health. While my students can take care of themselves, it's apparent that we're missing something as far as this supposed trafficking ring goes. Something dangerous." Kakashi replied, wondering what the hell he had done to make Jin act like that.

Jin nodded hesitantly, staring at Kakashi. Though his hands slowly stopped shaking, his violet eyes remained wide and frantic. "I-I see…" Was Kakashi really not angry with him? He really wasn't going to hurt him? He wasn't sure if he'd heard right, but maybe that was just the ringing that remained in his ears after the explosion.

"Come on, you should go to the hospital to have your injuries treated." Kakashi spoke more softly now, almost gently as if he were trying to calm a frightened animal. His words, however, did not seem to calm him.

"N-no. Hakaru-chan can t-take care of me when h-he gets home." He protested, glancing around anxiously now. "B-besides, it's f-fine for now. The ice will s-stop the bleeding…" He protested, staring at Kakashi with even wider eyes. "P-please don't make me go."

Kakashi let out a heavy sigh, but thought, against his better judgement, that perhaps it would be better to just let it go. "Fine," he paused for a moment, "at least let me wrap up whatever injuries you have, so that you don't have to waste your chakra freezing them over when you're still recovering it. I'm not a medical nin, but I can at least do that much."

As Kakashi reached for him, Jin flinched away. He glanced at the window, briefly contemplating making an escape through it. He was certain Kakashi would be able to catch him, though, considering the state he was currently in right now, both mentally and physically. He knew he needed to pull himself together, but it was so _hard._ That was really what he struggled with a lot of the time. He was almost always so well put together under the emotional mask he wore that he could force himself to handle nearly anything that was thrown at him, but as soon as he was caught off guard or had had time to let the fear take over, he was a wreck.

"D-don't touch me." Jin cast another glance at the window, really just wanting to make a break for it. He was resourceful, so he was sure that he could figure out some way to escape from Kakashi until he'd calmed down. He was pretending not to know that Kakashi would have no trouble catching him.

As he had many times before, Jin wished he had Raizo by his side. Raizo always knew just how to calm him down when he got scared like this. Only Jin and Hakaru had seen the gentle side of Raizo, and any outsider that had known the Kaguya would have been surprised that he was capable of such gentleness. Jin shook his head to clear his thoughts, feeling the all-too-familiar agony that welled up whenever he thought of Raizo, knowing that they would only make his fear and panic much worse.

"Jin-san, I can tell what you're thinking, and even if you do get away from me, someone else will either return you to me like a lost dog or force you to go to the hospital. You might as well just stay here. I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm not going to force you to go to the hospital." Kakashi crossed his arms, but, sensing Jin's need for space, took a step back from him. The last thing he wanted to do was make his fear worse. He'd noticed Jin's hands shaking again.

Jin considered his words for a moment, trying to calm down enough to process what he was telling him. He drew in a deep, shaky breath and stared at Kakashi. While he would normally close his eyes when he took deep breaths to soothe his anxieties, he didn't know him well enough to trust him not to do anything harmful.

After a moment, he cleared his throat and let out a heavy sigh. "Do y-you promise? You won't make m-me go to the hospital?" He took another deep breath, trying to even out his shaky voice. "You're not going to hurt me...?" He hated asking that question because he knew it made him sound weak, but he couldn't help himself.

"I promise that I won't hurt you or take you to the hospital, Jin-san." As a show of bearing no ill will, Kakashi held his hands out in a non-threatening manner. He didn't know why Jin was having a breakdown like this, but he realized now that it had been his fault. He felt like he should have handled that conversation differently, even though he had no way of knowing that Jin would make himself anxious to the point of a breakdown over something like this. His students hadn't suffered any injuries other than a few bruises, and he certainly wasn't going to hold something like that against him since they hadn't been hurt.

Jin stared at Kakashi's hands for several moments, and then looked back up at his masked face. He couldn't really read him, so he had to take his words at face value. He took another deep breath, feeling the tightness in his chest begin to loosen as his fear very slowly began to fade. He had to trust him. How were they supposed to work together if he couldn't trust Kakashi not to harm him when his back was turned? How could they work together if he couldn't trust Kakashi to watch his back for the time they were to be working together? "...okay." He said softly.

Kakashi let out a small sigh. "Now, will you let me wrap your wounds? You don't need to using up your chakra for something like this.

Jin hesitated, staring at him as if he still wasn't convinced. He didn't really have any options, did he? If he refused, there was the likelihood of Kakashi making him go to the hospital again even though he had said he wouldn't, and he couldn't handle that right now. He _hated_ the hospital because the nurses always asked questions, and those questions were ones that he preferred not to answer, lest he bring someone's rage down upon him.

"I guess that would be fine…" He answered hesitantly, forcing himself not to flinch when Kakashi passed him to go retrieve some things from the bathroom. He heaved a sigh and slowly sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. It was a relief to sit down, since he was rather sore from landing so hard after the explosion.

A moment later, Kakashi returned, holding a damp rag in one hand and a roll of bandages in the other. He set both down on the counter and stared at Jin for a few moments, trying to figure out where exactly he had been injured, other than his shoulder. He was caked in dirt from his landing, so that didn't help.

Jin watched Kakashi watch him, feeling a little calmer now. He slowly allowed the ice to melt around the wound on his shoulder, feeling almost self-conscious with Kakashi's gaze on him. He wasn't sure if he should say anything, or stay silent, or what.

Kakashi let out a sigh and pulled up a chair in front of Jin. He sat down in front of him and made him turn so that he could look at the shoulder wound, which had started bleeding again. It looked as if the wound went farther down, past his tank top. "Take off your shirt." He said reluctantly.

Jin couldn't help but blink at him in surprise, but a little of his humor returned and he smiled. "What? Not even going to take me out on a date first?" He couldn't help the words that left his lips as he took off the tank top and shifted so that Kakashi had a better view of the wound.

That earned a slight chuckle from Kakashi, who was glad that Jin seemed to have recovered from his breakdown at least a little. "Nope, now sit still."

The wound wasn't all that bad, though it did go from his shoulder to his spine, where it met up with a deep scar that ran halfway down his spine, and veered off towards his hip. That seemed to be the only scar, though, and the only sign that Jin was indeed a shinobi and not just some pretty courtesan. His skin was otherwise unmarked, and with his slender, athletic build it was easy to see why he got so many glances when he walked through the village. He was well-muscled, but it was subtle enough that it didn't show from beneath his clothes, especially when he wore the kimonos and yukatas he favored so much.

"Scandalous." Jin whispered, not even flinching when Kakashi used the damp rag to wipe the dirt and blood away from his wound. "I didn't realize you were that kind of man, Hatake-sama." He was teasing now, though he had no idea of the sort of literature, if it could even be called that, he cherished.

"Really? Keep in mind that you're the one who walked into that courtesan house, as if you knew exactly what you were doing. Besides, have you seen the picture of you that was sent in your file? You look like a prostitute." Kakashi pointed out idly, taking care not to cause Jin more pain than necessary.

That got a laugh out of Jin. He couldn't help but relax when Kakashi teased him back. "Well, I do know exactly what I'm doing in those places. I was practically raised in one. And as far as that picture goes...well, that was sort of the point. I want people to underestimate me. It's nice to see that look of surprise on their faces when they realize that they have absolutely no chance of beating the guy that looks like he belongs on a stripper pole."

"Is that so? Well, I suppose that, had you not already told us that you were a hunter nin, I may have underestimated you a little. You have a tendency to act pretty pathetic." Kakashi set down the wash rag, and began wrapping Jin's wound. It wasn't perfect, but it would do until Hakaru returned to fix him up.

"I do, don't I? I can assure you, though, that in serious situations, I don't act like that. I've become a rather careful person when I'm working in a team, so as not to let anyone get hurt too badly. But that also means that I can't go all out in battle. When I'm alone, though, or with...ah, sorry, just when I'm alone, I don't hold back. Most who fight me one on one don't live to tell the tale." He sounded almost cheerful by the end of that, as if he enjoyed the idea of that.

"Hm…" Kakashi sounded almost as if he didn't quite believe that. He pulled the bandages tight, and stepped back

"I can prove it you, if you'd like. We can spar. After Hakaru-chan fixes me up, of course. We can have someone mediate and Hakaru-chan can be on standby, too, just so that neither of us get too crazy. It would be bad if we accidentally killed each other, wouldn't it? Mizukage-sama would not be happy, and neither would Hokage-sama. But there's nothing wrong with a little friendly sparring, right? I find that if I know someone's style, it makes it easier to work with them in the future, because there's at least a little bit of understanding how someone is going to react, and how you can react accordingly." Jin smiled up at him.

"Hm...I don't see why not, but someone would definitely need to mediate. I agree with that idea. We'll have to set down some ground rules, though, too." Kakashi turned and tossed the bloody rag into the laundry room, and then went to wash his hands.

"Aww, Hatake-sama, rules are for weaklings." He joked, smiling. "In Kiri, we fight each other with everything we have, even when we're sparring. Of course, there's always someone there to make sure that we don't permanently maim or kill each other, but they don't usually step in otherwise."

"We're not in Kiri." Kakashi reminded him seriously. "We care a little more about each other here. Keep that in mind."

Jin shrugged. "I suppose you're right. But wait, does that mean you care about little ol' me? I'm flattered." He grabbed his tank top and slipped it back on. "I care about you, too. You and your cute little students." His expression grew serious, the smile on his face fading slightly. "Which is why you can be sure that while I'm still hanging around here, I won't let them get into more trouble than they can handle on their own."

Kakashi was about to speak when Hakaru came prancing through the door, humming a pretty tune different than the ones Jin had grown up hearing in his home village. It was happy and upbeat, and nothing like the mourning songs he knew by heart.

"Jin-chan?" Hakaru lifted his nose in the air, smelling the blood on Jin. "You're hurt again." It seemed that he was putting more effort into speaking properly, though he still spoke a little awkwardly, as if unsure of himself. He bounced over to Jin and leaned close to him, sniffing him closely.

While others would be unnerved by his strange actions, Jin was completely used to this sort of thing from Hakaru. "Nothing too bad, Hakaru-chan. It would be nice if you could heal me up, though. Hatake-sama and I wanna spar, but we can't do that until I'm well enough to fight without too much trouble." He ruffled Hakaru's hair gently.

"Jin-chan, you idiot!" Hakaru smacked him, but immediately proceeded in healing him of the wounds he had sustained from the explosion. "No fighting like you do at home. Bad. Too dangerous. You get hurt bad."

"Aww, Hakaru-chan, when I get hurt bad, it's not because I'm sparring or training in any way. It's because the shinobi that are supposed to be my allies are scum and wish to take advantage of me, and when I don't let them, they get mad and try to kill me. Kiri is a pretty terrible place to live, if you're pretty. You know that. It's nothing like it is here." Jin said all of that happily, as if it didn't bother him.

It did, of course, but he wasn't one to show that kind of thing. There was no point in showing weakness if he could help it, and he'd come so far from the child that couldn't protect himself in the courtesan house he'd been forced to work in, the child that couldn't stop the unwanted advances of people that the Land of Water put their trust in to keep their borders safe from enemy shinobi. Even now, when he was caught off guard, he couldn't always stop those unwanted advances.

Hakaru scowled stubbornly, but continued to use his chakra to heal the remainder of Jin's wounds, including the cuts and bruises. "Dummy." He grumbled, as if that were the worst insult he knew.

"Ah, whatever. I'm not a dummy. Anyway, Hatake-sama," he turned his attention to the copy-nin, smiling at him, "how about we have a little bet? You win, and I'll admit that I'm an idiot and am not to be trusted to take care of your precious students. I will not go anywhere even slightly dangerous with them, without you. However, if _I_ win, you accept that I can be trusted to keep your students safe in situations they can't handle on their own, and that I am perfectly capable of watching your back, as well. What do you say?"

"Hm...I suppose that sounds fair." Kakashi replied, not commenting on the conversation between Jin and Hakaru. He hadn't realized how bad it was in the Mist. Of course, its moniker as the 'Bloody Mist' was a giveaway about the cruelty they were brought up with and taught to inflict on enemies. "We still need to set down some ground rules, though."

Jin nodded and stood up once Hakaru was finished with him. He didn't think there was any point in changing out of his outfit, since they were going to be sparring anyway. "Come on, Hakaru-chan. You'll be needed, just in case someone gets hurt. And, we'll also need someone to mediate. Someone strong enough to stop us both if we go too far. We can discuss the rules when we get there, if that's okay with you, Hatake-sama?"

Kakashi nodded slightly and followed the pair out. He ignored the strange looks and whispers that people gave Jin and Hakaru, sighing. There had been rumours starting to spread about the two of them, though Kakashi was sure that they hadn't noticed or even heard most of them. He knew that sooner or later, one or both of them would say something odd, and then it would end up in the news and the papers completely exaggerated. He was surprised that there hadn't been anything in the newspapers yet.

The three of them met up with Kurenai and Asuma heading in the opposite direction, as if they were just returning from telling their students about the Chuunin Exams. In all honesty, Jin had enjoyed the Chuunin Exams, and almost wished he could participate again. Of course, he couldn't, but that didn't stop him from thinking about it.

Jin inclined his head and smiled at the pair. "Yuuhi-hime, Sarutobi-sama. It's a pleasure to see you again." He smiled kindly at them and tilted his head. "Oh, perhaps you two would like to help us out with something? If you're not busy, of course. I wouldn't want to bother you too much."

Kurenai cast a glance at Asuma, who merely shrugged, before turning her attention back to Jin and Kakashi. "What is it?" She asked, not unkindly.

"Hatake-sama and I were going to spar, but we thought it would be a good idea to have a mediator, in case one of us went too far. Perhaps two would be better, if you don't mind helping out. It would be much appreciated." Jin replied, while Kakashi grabbed Hakaru by his wrist and pulled him back when he nearly walked into an old lady.

Kurenai once again glanced at Asuma, her interest piqued. It would be a good opportunity to see what the foreign shinobi was capable of. "I suppose. Asuma?"

Asuma nodded slightly in response. "Sure, I don't see why not." He took a long drag of his cigarette, studying Jin intelligently. He, too, was curious about him, and wondered what more there was to him. After all, as they both had heard the night before, Jin had been forced into wars, and wars changed people. He wondered what was lurking beneath the surface of the Mist shinobi's kind and gentle expressions.

Jin smiled delightedly, and continued walking. "Great! Thanks! I'm glad you can help us out. We'll be sure to put on a good show for you. I imagine that you haven't had much opportunity to see some of the techniques Kiri employs in battle. Perhaps we can all learn from each other. I would definitely enjoy that. I like learning new things."

The group of five continued on their way to the training grounds, all interested in how this was going to go down. Kakashi was a phenomenal shinobi, but this Kiri nin was a wild card, and hadn't shown any sign of how powerful he could be. There was a reason that the Mizukage had sent Jin to represent the Land of Water, and it meant that she had complete faith in whatever abilities he possessed.

When they reached the training grounds, Jin made Hakaru sit somewhere that he wouldn't end up getting caught in the middle of their spar, and had Kurenai and Asuma sit with him. "Hatake-sama, you said you wanted ground rules? I think it would be fair to agree not to use our kekkei genkai, especially since this is just a spar. No killing blows, of course, and no ninjutsu that could cause fatal injuries. Yuuhi-hime, Sarutobi-sama, please intervene if you see any of that. Hatake-sama, do you have any other rules you wish to set?"

"First one to pin the other for a minute wins." Kakashi suggested, knowing that he couldn't underestimate Jin, even if this was just a spar.

Jin nodded in agreement. "That sounds fair. Are you ready to begin, then? Oh, wait, let me grab something first." He dug around in the pouch attached to his belt and retrieved a scroll. When he opened it, he removed a long, pure white sword. The hilt looked startlingly like a femur bone, though the blade was much too long, and it was unlikely that a weapon of bone existed. "I hope you don't mind if I use this. I don't get much chance since it stands out so much, and it was a gift from someone very dear."

Kakashi shook his head, eyeing the blade for a moment. "That's fine." He replied, pulling out a bright orange book, Icha Icha. He didn't appear to be paying any attention to Jin now. He looked perfectly relaxed.

Asuma told them they could begin the match, and Jin watched Kakashi curiously. "Hatake-sama...I didn't know you were a pervert." He mumbled. "Such lewd reading material…"

"Then what does that make you? You know the book, so wouldn't that imply that you're a pervert, too?" Kakashi replied lazily, reading along the page quite easily.

Jin couldn't help but laugh. "I suppose that's true, Hatake-sama. But that's besides the point. I think you should put the book away and focus on me, otherwise you may end up losing this spar." With his free hand, he made a few hand signs, and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi didn't seem bothered by this, continuing to read quietly. He was a little surprised that Jin was capable of one-handed seals, but it wasn't yet enough to make him put his book away. For now, he wouldn't treat him as a formidable opponent.

Nothing happened for several moments, and everyone but Hakaru was wondering what Jin was planning. Hakaru knew exactly where Jin was, his sense of smell and hearing stronger than everyone else's due to his lack of sight. That, and he'd grown up playing hide-and-seek with him, and knew how he played. He turned his blind gaze in Kurenai and Asuma's general direction.

"Don't underestimate Jin-chan. Even without Raizo-chan, he's extremely deadly." He told them, tilting his head. "If Raizo-chan was still here, no one could beat them. They dangerous."

Kurenai turned her attention to Hakaru, a little unnerved that he seemed to know exactly where their faces were, despite not being able to see. "Kakashi isn't a pushover, either. You shouldn't underestimate him."

"Kakashi-chan didn't live his whole life surrounded by violence. Almost every moment of Jin-chan's life, he was hurt and used as a weapon and treated badly, except when Raizo-chan was around. Jin-chan was raised to be a monster, but he is not. That does not mean that he cannot act like one. All Jin-chan knows is violence, more so than most other shinobi, even at home in Kiri. Jin-chan said once that his first memory was of raging flames and the screams of the dying." Hakaru spoke quietly, turning his attention away. "Jin-chan strikes like snake, and then vanishes like a hunting cat."

Asuma narrowed his eyes slightly, studying Hakaru. He exchanged a glance with Kurenai before turning his attention back to where Kakashi was waiting. A moment later, Hakaru spoke up again.

"Jin-chan is a hunter. He's just watching Kakashi-chan right now to see what he will do, like he is prey. When I hunt, I do same, except listen instead of watch." Hakaru turned his attention back towards Kakashi. "Listen. He is getting ready to make his move. Kakashi-chan won't see it coming."

There was a rustle from the bushes directly behind Kakashi, though he acted as if it didn't bother him. A kunai shot out from the bush, flying right towards him. As soon as it hit him, there was a puff of smoke and he was gone, a log in his place.

Kakashi suddenly reappeared behind the bush, where Jin was crouched. Almost immediately, he put a kunai to his throat. He wasn't underestimating Jin, but the Mist shinobi was really making it easy so far. Until he felt the blade against his own throat.

"You're underestimating me, Ha-ta-ke-sa-ma." Jin said his name slowly, dragging out each syllable. The version of himself that Kakashi held the kunai against vanished into a puddle of water. Just a water clone. "That one was pretty good, huh? You've probably memorized my chakra signature by now and how strong it feels, right? It's an easy trick to make clones like that radiate the same amount of chakra as yourself." He put more pressure on the blade pressed against his throat, though he was careful not to draw blood.

There was another puff of smoke, and Kakashi was gone again, replaced once more by a log.

Jin blinked and looked around, frowning slightly. He sighed and walked out of the shrubbery, returning to where he had stood at the beginning of the match. Kakashi was a slippery one, and it seemed that he would have to actually hunt for him.

He closed his eyes for a moment and drew in a deep breath. He was grounding himself, settling himself into his surroundings and the mode of thinking he took on when he was sent out on missions as a hunter nin. He shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, ready to take off whenever he heard Kakashi make a move.

He felt rather than heard Kakashi come up behind him, and spun around. His blade met Kakashi's kunai, stopping it just before it cut his throat. "You're fast, Hatake-sama." Hardly a second later, they were clashing blades at such a high speed that their blades were merely blurs. It came to a point where their blades clashed so hard that both Jin's sword and Kakashi's kunai were flung out of each other's hands.

Jin leapt at Kakashi, tackling him to the ground. Kakashi was apparently too surprised to use his substitution jutsu. It wasn't very often that shinobi tackled each other like children in battle, or even just spars.

The spar quickly devolved into a wrestling match, each one kicking and punching the other in their attempts to subdue the other. Kurenai and Asuma were startled. Kakashi never acted like that, never got so...riled up that he would resort to something so...juvenile.

The pair grappled for a while until Jin wound up on top, straddling Kakashi to keep him down. "Looks like I'm gonna win this one." He grinned, panting and out of breath. It had been a long time since he'd really gotten out of breath like that in a spar.

Jin leaned his face down close to Kakashi's, stopping when his lips were barely a centimeter from his ear. "It's been such a long time since I've sparred like this with anyone…" His voice was low, his rasping breaths loud against Kakashi's ear. "You're good." He sounded almost seductive, though it certainly wasn't his intention to. "Even in a limited spar like this, it's obvious."

"Oh, is it?" Kakashi asked softly, sitting still for a moment. And then he fought back, their positions quickly switching, with Kakashi on top, pinning Jin to the ground. "You're not going to win this spar."

Jin began to struggle, narrowing his eyes slightly. He managed to free himself partly from Kakashi's grasp, enough to begin fighting back once again. They really were fighting like kids, wrestling around and kicking and punching each other. Well, they were until Jin ended up rolling into a sharp rock, and hitting his head rather hard. He winced in pain, blacking out a moment later.

It had hardly been a minute before Jin regained consciousness, waking to concerned voices. He didn't bother opening his eyes, though he was rather startled to realize that someone was cradling his head in their hands, as if to prevent more damage.

"Keep holding his head still, Kakashi-chan. It'll just be a moment to heal him up. It's not bad." Hakaru's voice sounded concerned, despite his words of reassurance. A moment later, he could feel Hakaru's chakra healing up whatever injury he had sustained. "There. That should do it. Kakashi-chan, please keep Jin-chan's head off the ground until he wakes up." The feeling of Hakaru's gentle chakra faded.

"I'm glad he'll be alright." Though he tried not to show it, Kakashi sounded worried. Though, Jin thought, he was probably only worried because if Jin died, there would be war between the Mist and the Leaf.

He had to admit, though, that Kakashi had very gentle hands and that he was very comfortable just pretending to remain unconscious for a while. Still, he figured that they would get irritated with him if he faked it for too long, so he slowly opened his eyes, wincing a tiny bit at the bright sunlight. "Hakaru-chan, Hatake-sama?" He asked almost feebly.

"Jin-chan, you're awake." His expression clearly showed his delight as he shifted closer. "You hit your head on a rock when you were fighting. Hatake-sama was worried that he might have accidentally killed you."

Jin glanced up at Kakashi, not seeing any concern on what little of his face he could see. He supposed that Kakashi must hide it well if he really was concerned. "Ahh, it's okay. It takes more than a little knock to the head kill me." Slowly, he sat up, happy that Hakaru's healing skills were so advanced, despite how little training he had.

Kakashi let out a sigh, sort of sounding relieved in that apathetic way of his. "Good." He got up and helped Jin to his feet, making sure he was steady on them before he let go.

"Say, Hatake-sama, you have surprisingly gentle hands." Jin smiled at him and promptly changed the subject. "I need a shower, so I'll see you guys later. Thanks for sparring with me. You won this round." He turned and went on his way back towards Kakashi's place, leaving the others behind.

* * *

" _What the hell happened?! They weren't supposed to catch on this quickly!" The man speaking paced back and forth, raking his hands roughly through his greying hair._

" _I...I…" A young woman in the room stepped back, glancing around for an escape route. "It was just one of the s-small facilities...the other ones are still safe." Her voice trembled, and she took another step back, fear clear in her amber eyes._

" _Yes, I suppose you're right about that, Aiko." The man's voice went very calm for a moment. "I suppose that means that it's perfectly okay that they're catching on before we're ready, doesn't it? It's not as if we're not ready or anything, is it?"_

 _The woman, Aiko, let out a soft whimper and cast a glance at the tiny window to her left. She could fit through it, but she wouldn't be fast enough. "T-they won't figure it out. Miki is dead now, so they can't get any information from her, and the children...they don't know enough to give anything away. I-I placed the explosive tags like you asked. There shouldn't be any way that they can retrieve anything from the facility now…"_

" _Shut up, girl. I'm thinking." The man stopped pacing, narrowing his eyes. A slow smirk crept up on his face and he turned his attention back to Aiko._

" _I-I'm sorry…" She whimpered, backing up against the wall. "F-forgive me…"_

" _No, no, dear daughter of mine. You weren't in charge of that facility. Gaku was, and he was an idiot. But that's alright. This can still be salvaged. Aiko, dear, tell me, have you found out who is leading the investigation?" The man smiled eerily, as if he had thought up a foolproof plan._

 _Aiko looked rather startled, but quickly began fumbling around in her pocket. She retrieved a ragged piece of paper and unfolded it. "It...it seems that Konoha and Kiri are b-both working together...ah, here are the n-names…" she stuttered. "Shiraishi Jin, Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto...b-but before I k-killed Miki, she said that only Shiraishi and H-Haruno were in the facility…"_

" _I see...I see...so the jinchuuriki is involved…" The man mumbled thoughtfully. "But he wasn't in the facility. Yes, yes, this will work out. Aiko, I have a job for you."_

 _The woman shrank away as her father approached, paling considerably. "Y-yes? Whatever it is, I'll do it...y-you know that…"_

" _Yes, yes you will. Listen to me closely, Aiko." He waited until he was sure that Aiko was paying close attention to what he had to say._

" _Y-yes, father...I'm listening…"_

" _Good. I want you to infiltrate Konoha and eliminate Shiraishi and Haruno, and if you can manage it, Hatake. Leave the Uchiha and Uzumaki. They'll serve a purpose later." He spoke coldly, staring down at his daughter. "Will you do it?"_

" _Y-yes...I'll do it."_

* * *

 **Author's Note: Sorry for the late update! I just got done with finals, so I was busy studying. However, I'm happy to present you with the next chapter! I hope you're noticing some things here, but if not, all will be revealed in due time. I think this chapter shows how unstable Jin can be when he thinks he's made someone angry. Up until now, he hasn't really shown how past abuse has affected him. Anyway, thanks for reading! Feel free to leaves some reviews! I'd love to hear your feedback!**

 **Edit: I have added more and rewritten a little bit of the beginning of this chapter because reviewer Trisana mentioned that the time it took for Jin to recover from his breakdown seemed to short. I agreed, so here's the revised version! Thanks again to Trisana for pointing that out, and I'm glad that you're still enjoying the story!**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The day of the first and second parts of the Chuunin Exams passed by uneventfully for Jin. He had not been allowed to watch the preliminaries, since he wasn't leading any of the teams that were participating, so he had learned the results later. He'd spent the majority of the last month hunting for leads, and had so far found nothing of use; even the vials of strange liquid he had found had fielded no results as of yet. The morning before the third part of the Chuunin Exams, Jin sat in a patch of grass near Sakura's house, said kunoichi seated next to both him and Hakaru, Ino sitting across from them.

"Here, I've got a map. I don't really use it often because I know the Land of Water nearly by heart now. Since we've got a little time before the exams resume, I can show you a little bit about it." Jin spread out a detailed map of the islands that made up Water Country in front of them.

It was an old map, but had held up well. It was elegantly made, with gold lettering for each word written along it. Only the edges were faded, but there were deep creases in it, as if had been folded many times before. Each of the many dozens, no, hundreds, of islands were marked out in excruciating detail, except for whatever laid in the upper left corner.

"Wow, Jin-san, where'd you get a map this detailed? It must have cost a fortune…" Sakura asked in amazement, hesitantly touching the fuzzy parchment. "I've seen some like this in expensive shops before…"

"Ahh, I think it was my father's. My real father, I mean. My mother kept all of his things after he went missing, and I found this in one of the boxes. He left before I was born, and my mother wouldn't ever tell me anything about him, so I don't even know who he is. My mother did tell me that I took after him, though, appearance-wise. I have her eyes, though." Jin stared at the map for a few moments, and then blinked. "Sorry, I got a little carried away there, didn't I?"

Sakura shook her head slightly, while Ino snorted. "No, it's alright, Jin-san." She leaned closer to the map, looking down at it. "I didn't realize there were so many islands in the Land of Water. Is this all of them?"

Jin shook his head. "No, this map was made before many of the islands had been discovered, but it does have every landmark of importance. The other great nations, Fire Country included, believe that the Land of Water is the smallest nation, but with the discovery of new islands farther away from the other countries every few years, we've come to realize that the Land of Water isn't as small as we originally thought."

"You're not going to get in trouble for showing us this map?" Ino asked, crossing her arms haughtily. "After all, the Mist probably doesn't want foreign shinobi learning the layout of their country."

"Yamanaka-hime, there's no way you can find your way around the Land of Water unless you've grown up there. The mist is too thick, so even if I gave you detailed directions to get to any place, you wouldn't be able to get there." Jin let out a sigh, ignoring Ino's glare, and pointed to an island to the north. "This is where I was born. It's a small village in the coldest part of the country. The land is inhospitable, but the people are surprisingly welcoming. There's always snow on the ground, and the temperature never goes above ten degrees, and there are often deadly blizzards."

"You lived in a place like that?" Sakura sounded incredulous. "It must have been terribly cold…"

"I haven't ever had trouble with the cold, so it wasn't that difficult living there. I didn't live there for long, though, anyway. I moved down to Kiri with my mother and stepfather when I was almost four so that I could attend the Academy." He pointed to the largest island, where Kirigakure was marked on the map.

"What's this point on the map? It's blank." Ino asked, noticing the empty corner. She tapped it, frowning a little. "Just something that hadn't been explored yet?"

"Yes, and no. There's a trio of islands there, but no one tries to explore that area anymore because of what always happens." Jin replied, frowning a little bit.

"What always happens?" Sakura asked curiously as she stared at the blank spot on the map.

"The islands are surrounded by fog so thick that you can't even see an inch in front of your face. And any ship or boat that enters that particular area always vanishes without a trace. The few people who managed to return from the area said that they'd seen the ghosts of their dead loved ones, and strange lights in the fog. Also, anytime a ship with any sort of electrical equipment enters the area, it always shorts out, which is probably part of why no ship has ever returned from the area. I'm sure there's perfectly reasonable explanations for all those occurrences, but no one wants to tempt fate, so they just stay away." Jin shook his head slightly when Sakura opened her mouth to ask another question. "That's enough of a geography lesson for today. We'd better get going to the arena to make sure we get good seats."

Jin stood up and smiled at the two girls and Hakaru when they all stood up. He turned and led them all towards the arena, happy that he could at least see the last part of the exams. He was probably more excited than he should have been, but he enjoyed watching these sorts of things, and how could he not root for Naruto and Sasuke? He was hoping they would both make chuunin, and was sure that Sakura would make chuunin during the next exams. He had absolute faith in them.

It was in that moment that he realized he was becoming attached to them, something that he, as a shinobi of the Mist, was not supposed to do. By nature, Jin tried not to get attached to people anymore. He'd lost all except one of the people that meant the world to him already, and he didn't want to get attached to anyone else, lest the same happen to them.

It was already too late with Hakaru, since he'd practically raised him, and because of that he was fiercely protective of him. However, he could still try to stop himself from getting attached to Kakashi and his students, though it would require distancing himself from them. He didn't like that idea, didn't like the idea of distancing himself from _anyone_ because he thrived on positive social interactions. But how could he let himself get attached to them, on the off chance that the new alliance between the Mist and the Leaf was broken? They would then be enemy shinobi.

"Jin-san, is everything okay? You look troubled." Sakura asked, slowing down to match his pace, while Ino charged on ahead into the arena to find seats.

"Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Just thinking about old people things." Jin replied with a smile. "Nothing to trouble yourself with."

"...Jin-san, you're not that old. Aren't you younger than Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura seemed more than a little puzzled by his comment.

"Yeah, I suppose I am. Sometimes I feel like I'm a million years old, though, especially when I hang around kids like you. I've lived through a lot of things, probably a lot more than most young shinobi have. Raizo always used to say that he and I were destined to suffer, and I have to admit that it certainly seems that way." Jin replied, letting out a heavy sigh.

Sakura couldn't help but frown up at him. "Ahh...I'm sorry, but who is Raizo? You mention him a lot. He seems important to you. And what did you mean by that?" She was hesitant to ask the question, but Jin was always so open that she hoped he wouldn't mind her nosiness too much.

"Sorry, Haruno-hime, but I really don't want to talk about Raizo." And then suddenly he was completely closed off. He wasn't smiling anymore. No, instead he kept everything he felt carefully concealed under a blank mask, as if the name meant nothing to him. "Let's just find some good seats."

With that, Jin picked up the pace a little and hurried into the arena, going up to where the seats were at. He managed to pick a good spot with plenty of room for Hakaru, but no room for Sakura or any of the others. He didn't want to be questioned anymore about Raizo.

He relaxed a little when Sakura went to find another seat, and faced forward, waiting for the matches to begin. He was already a bit excited about this part of the exams, and he looked forward to Naruto's and Sasuke's matches, though he was a bit worried because Sasuke hadn't shown up yet and they were just now starting…

* * *

Jin was relieved to see Sasuke show up just before he would have been forced to forfeit, though he was a little apprehensive about who he was facing. Sabaku no Gaara. While Jin had never met the jinchuuriki himself, he had heard about what he'd done to poor Lee.

He leaned forward to watch more closely as their match began, frowning. He was impressed with the Uchiha's newfound speed, though, surprised to see how fast he had become. Kakashi's hard work training him had clearly paid off.

The battle went on for a while, but Jin was soon distracted by the sight of falling feathers, and he had the oddest sensation of falling asleep. He wanted to keep watching the match, but he was so, so tired and he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer…

* * *

Sakura looked around, frowning a little as she released the genjutsu on Naruto. Already the battle was beginning, Sound and Sand nin against the Leaf. She nodded as Kakashi gave her, Naruto and Shikamaru orders to go after Sasuke and Gaara, leaping into action with Pakkun in the lead.

She paused for a moment next to the place where Jin and Hakaru were sitting, trapped in the genjutsu. She glanced back at Kakashi and Guy, who had joined him. Then she turned back to Jin. Clearly he wouldn't be able to break the genjutsu on his own, otherwise, he would have done it already.

Making the hand signs in front of Jin, Sakura released the genjutsu on him. "Jin-san, we're in trouble. The Sound and the the Sand are attacking. You were under a genjutsu." She glanced in the direction that Shikamaru and Naruto were disappearing in. "I need to go, but...please help Kakashi-sensei and the others!"

Without another word, she chased after Shikamaru and Naruto, hoping she had done the right thing by releasing the genjutsu on Jin when he wasn't even a shinobi of her village.

There was no time to think of that now. She had to help catch the fleeing Sand shinobi!

* * *

Jin stared after Sakura, startled. Once he got a grasp on the situation, however, he leapt to his feet. He hadn't known why, but he'd gotten the feeling that he was going to need his ANBU equipment when he had been getting ready earlier. Because of that, he'd put his uniform on underneath his kimono, as well as his equipment.

He hadn't brought his mask, but no foreign shinobi would recognize him, just as none in Konoha had recognized him. While he had excelled in many forms of combat, he hadn't really stood out until he had been paired with Raizo, in a two-man ANBU unit.

Without wasting another moment, Jin pulled on his metal-plated gloves and wiggled his fingers to make sure that the metal covering them wasn't bent. He launched into action a moment later, sending his fist flying against a Sound shinobi that had tried to come up behind him. The shinobi was sent flying, and Jin turned his attention to Kakashi.

"Hatake-sama! I told Hokage-sama that as long as I was in this village, acting as a representative of the Mist, I was under his command. You can count on me, even though he has not given the order for me to help." Jin said, leaping to his side just long enough to give him the message. When he nodded, Jin left and set to work killing any Sound shinobi that dared try to attack him.

He was an exceptional shinobi; fast, fearless, determined. He fought recklessly, though, oftentimes leaving his back wide open to attack, and Kakashi recognized that perhaps Jin was better fighting with someone at his back. He was doing alright for now, though, having managed not to sustain any wounds yet.

Jin was not an easy opponent, as the Sound shinobi soon realized. It didn't take long for them to realize that they needed to team up on him, overwhelm him to the point that he could not hope to take on all of them. A kunai whizzed past his ear, making the Mist shinobi narrow his eyes. He had, of course, come to the conclusion that they would figure out how to beat him if they watched long enough. Which was why he wasn't yet using his kekkei genkai or a weapon of any sort. He needed the element of surprise.

There was a large crashing sound from the direction of the walls surrounding the village, and it distracted Jin enough to make him look up to see what had happened. What he saw horrified him. Three giant snakes had crushed the wall, and were very quickly making their way into the village, crushing everything in their path.

Never taking his eyes off the snakes, Jin decapitated a Sound shinobi with a blade he'd made out of ice just in time. The shinobi had been about to run him through with a kunai. He didn't seem bothered by that, though, instead turning his attention to Kakashi.

"Hatake-sama! I'm going to go take out those snakes!" He called, already preparing to sprint off. He stopped short when Kakashi spoke up.

"There are already other shinobi in that area! They'll take care of it!" Kakashi blocked a barrage of kunai aimed for him, standing back to back with Guy. He never once glanced at Jin, focused solely on his opponents.

"They can't stop them quickly enough, though! Sorry, Hatake-sama, but those snakes are the biggest threat right now. At least, the biggest one that we can take care of." Jin glanced at the barrier on the nearby roof darkly, eyes narrowed. There was nothing he could do about that right now, but he could at least immobilize the snakes without too much trouble. After all, reptiles such as those grow lethargic when exposed to extreme cold. He hoped it worked that way with summons, too. "My kekkei genkai can cover wide areas, so I'll be able to mostly keep them from causing too much harm. Don't worry about me, but take care of Hakaru-chan in my stead."

With a wink and a wicked grin, he was off and running again. He used his blade to block any kunai and shuriken that were thrown his way, but otherwise paid no attention to the shinobi attacking him. They were like fruit flies compared to the snakes, and there were already Leaf shinobi cutting the number of enemy nin. He didn't need to waste his time with them.

Jin slowed down as soon as he was within the snake's striking range, making sure not to draw their attention yet. He needed to get closer before trying to freeze them, otherwise his ice would be spread too thin, and more easily shattered, especially considering how big his targets were. He also hadn't mentioned to Kakashi that, while he was skilled in using his kekkei genkai, he'd had no formal training with it. Oh well.

One of the snakes finally noticed him and took a snap at him, missing by barely an inch. It was just the opportunity Jin needed, and he took it, leaping onto the snake's head as it lifted it to strike again.

Almost immediately, Jin set to work. He crouched down and sent chakra to the bottoms of his feet so that he couldn't be shaken off. Ice began to spread out from around his feet, forming a thin layer, but thickening as Jin used more of his chakra.

As if in response to the ice rapidly covering it, the snake began to slow down in its thrashing attacks on the village. It wasn't long before the snake dropped completely, crashing to the ground with a resounding crash, the earth shuddering around it.

Jin moved quickly, closing his eyes and using a technique that he hadn't used since the last Shinobi World War. He made the hand signs with one hand, preferring to do it that way, since he had better control over the technique.

Something began to writhe beneath the snake's scales, as if there were something trying desperately to escape from beneath them. A moment later, dark ice burst from beneath the scales in the shapes of razor sharp stalagmites. It was a technique he had developed himself, one that allowed him to use the blood in a creature's body to kill it from the inside.

With one snake down, Jin rose to his feet and spun around to attack the next nearest one, only to find its jaws wrapping around him and swallowing him whole.

To say that this was an uncomfortable experience would be an understatement. After all, who wanted to be digested by a giant snake? Jin certainly didn't, and he was not enjoying it one bit. He made a sword of ice and attempted to saw through its insides, but it wasn't at all effective. At this rate, his clothes were going to be dissolved by digestive fluids, and while Jin was not at all a prude, he certainly didn't want to fight naked for the rest of the battle.

It began to concern him more when the digestive fluids began to eat through even the steel of his chest plate, and he began trying to escape more frantically, even going so far as to try and climb back up out of the snake's throat. It wasn't at all effective.

Something large landed on the snake's head at that moment, making it crash to the ground. It was certainly dead now, but Jin was still in trouble, since its mouth was held shut by whatever was sitting on it. This was quite a predicament he was in now, wasn't it? This had to be the third worst day of his life.

There were a few options he could choose from to free himself; he could try cutting through the snake's tough skin, he could try to blow the snake up with a paper bomb, or he could use the same technique he had used on the other snake. All of them had their drawbacks, of course. Cutting through the snake's skin would likely take too much time and he would likely have been digested by that point; he could already feel the digestive fluids burning him. Using a paper bomb would be risky, since he would have to use his ice to shield himself, which was always a risk because he was never certain if it would withstand heat and flames, even though his battle with Ryuu had proven that it could. Using the snake's blood in the way he had with the other one would present its own problems. For starters, it required a lot of chakra to do it with a creature this large, and it was difficult to control where the blood would explode out from. It very well could end up impaling him. And lastly, he had no idea what it was that had landed on the snake, and whether or not it was friendly.

After further consideration, a paper bomb seemed to be the best course of action. It wouldn't require nearly as much chakra to shield himself against the blast. He slipped a paper bomb out of his bag hastily, and prepared it to be set off after he'd had enough time to shield himself properly. He slapped it on the inside of the snake and quickly covered himself in a thick layer of ice.

The snake exploded in a spray of dark blood and scales, drenching anyone close enough to the snake. Including the giant toad that sat upon its head, and the man who sat upon the toad's head, as well as the Leaf shinobi that had apparently been talking with him.

Now all eyes were on him. He'd let the ice melt around him too soon, and large splatter of blood and scales landed on him, drenching him. With a heavy sigh, Jin wiped the blood from his face and shook it from his hand. "Ahh...sorry about that." He smiled apologetically at the Leaf shinobi and then glanced at the man on the toad, who was staring at him as if he were looking at a ghost. They were silent. "Uh, well, I'd better get back to work. I've got another snake to kill." He saluted and sped off towards the last snake.

He wasn't surprised that they had all stared at him like he'd grown two heads. He'd exploded out of a snake, after all. But the way the man on the toad had looked at him was different. He'd received that look before from the older shinobi back in Kiri, but every time he had asked about it, they had denied even looking at him. He supposed that didn't really matter right now, though, since he was in the middle of a battle.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Jin launched himself at the last snake, but was alarmed to find that it had learned from the other snake's mistakes. It reared backwards, a thunderous hiss escaping from its mouth. It jabbed its head at him suddenly, opening its jaws wide enough that it looked as though it had unhinged its jaw. Of course, that wasn't likely, but it was still rather alarming to see.

Jin dove out of the way, large fangs crashing down where he had been standing only a second before with enough force to crack the ground. It lifted its head up once more and reared back, its neck muscles coiling as it prepared to strike once more.

Jin was not so lucky this time. As quickly as he had tried to dive out of the way, the snake had anticipated his movements. He was quick enough to make sure he wasn't fatally wounded, but not quick enough to prevent injury all together. The fang slashed down, scraping his right shoulder blade and halfway down his back with just the very end. The wound was definitely more than a scrape, though for the moment it was easily manageable with his ice covering the entirety of the wound. Thankfully, he had been more careful with his chakra usage this time around, and had plenty to spare so that he could keep on fighting.

Despite the fact that he'd managed to cover his wound, he had only limited use of his right arm now. It was a good thing that he was left handed. Without hesitation, he grabbed onto the very tip of the snake's fang and, before it could yank its head away, yanked on it using enough of his chakra to rip the fang from its mouth. Blood spurted from the gaping where the fang had been torn raggedly from the gums. Perhaps it was a bit cruel of him to do something so cruel as yanking out an opponent's tooth when there were other, easier and quicker ways to kill them, but he wasn't really concerned with the morality of what he'd done at the moment. He needed to save his chakra.

The snake reared its head, shaking it violently. Blood sprayed across a third of the village, any every other shinobi within that area. It drew the attention of every other shinobi as well, stopping at least half the battles as they all were shocked by the fact that he had yanked a snake's fang out without any trouble. It was sort of a given when the man on the toad had landed on the second snake that it would die as a result of that. They hadn't expected Jin, this foreign shinobi that few had heard of, to come out of nowhere and kill one snake, and tear the other apart fangs first.

Jin let go of the fang as it crashed to the ground. It was too heavy for him to hold up. While the snake was distracted by its pain, he took the time to shift the fang on its end, so that the tip pointed upwards. He finished that just in time for the snake to come after him again with its remaining fang. This time, it was easier to dodge. He rolled to the side, and spun around, grabbing onto its other fang. He held onto it tightly and yanked.

It didn't work nearly as well this time, since the snake had expected him to repeat that move. Even so, it loosened it enough that when the snake struck again, he would be able to tear that fang out as well when the moment came.

Sure enough, as soon as the snake had reared its head again, it struck, giving Jin the opportunity to latch on again. He used more chakra to yank the second fang out, blood spraying everywhere as the snake pulled its head back, its mouth completely harmless now.

Jin dropped the fang as the snake lashed its tail at him, sending him flying into one of the buildings with a crash. He had used his ice to cushion the fall somewhat, but it still hurt like hell. He got to his feet again, glaring at the snake. He darted away and towards the fang he had put up on its end, barely missing being flattened by the snake's tail as it slammed it down in an attempt to crush him.

"Almost...almost…" Jin mumbled, freezing the fang to the ground for when he got close enough to it. This next part would be the trickiest. He had to time it just right, or he would be flattened, or worse, his plan wouldn't work.

He darted over to the fang, lowering himself to the ground as tail came closer and closer to crushing him every time. He reached the fang just as the snake's tail came down, impaling itself on its own fang. Jin had barely enough time to roll out of the way, and even then, he felt the snake's scales brush against his face, and then his side.

The snake hissed in pain, immediately trying to free its tail from its own fang. Jin dashed over to the snake's other fang without taking even a moment to catch his breath. He didn't have time for that, no matter how tired he was getting.

When he reached the fang, Jin quickly began putting it up on its end for the last part of his plan. He wouldn't need to use his ice to make this one stay put, since its purpose wasn't to disable, but to kill. He didn't look up when the snake raised its head and hissed at him, blood spilling from the gaping holes in its gums.

Taking that as a cue, he positioned himself between the snake and the fang, hoping the snake would do what he was expecting it to. It was practically useless now, after all, so it had limited options now.

Doing exactly as he expected it to do, the snake slammed its head down where Jin was standing, barely missing him as he leapt back towards the fang. It was becoming desperate now, hardly caring when it cracked its own jaw when it hit the ground. It lifted its head again and slammed it down again, frustrated that it kept missing its prey.

Jin backed up against the fang, his eyes widening slightly as the snake swung its head down where it predicted him to move to instead of where he had been standing before. He didn't have enough time to move out of the way. A plethora of ideas sped through his mind, but only one even had a slim chance of his survival. He took the chance and dropped to the ground, flattening himself against it as best as he could and forming as thick a layer as he could manage of ice around himself.

The snake's head impaled itself on its own fang, nearly crushing Jin. The fang was long enough that when the snake had impaled itself on it, its head remained up off the ground barely enough to avoid crushing Jin.

Jin laid still for a moment, his nose brushing against the snake's scales as the ice melted around him. He could hear the battles between the other shinobi starting up again, the Leaf shinobi presumably taking advantage of the Sand and Sound nin's momentary distraction.

After a moment, he slowly began wiggling out from beneath the snake's head, ignoring the blood that was spilling all over him. He was going to need a vacation after this. Fighting giant snakes was way above his pay-grade, and he was exhausted.

Jin slipped out from beneath the snake, heaving a sigh and shakily getting to his feet. Apparently no one had expected him to be alive after that. After all, it had looked like he'd been crushed by the snake as it went down. He didn't pay any mind to anyone watching him, and instead dashed off back towards the arena to check on Hakaru. Now that the snakes were dead, he needed to protect Hakaru. He didn't notice the gaze of the white haired man on the toad following after him.

When he finally reached the arena, he was relieved to find that most of the enemy shinobi were either dead or fleeing. What startled him, though, was the sight of the barrier on top of the building being released where the Hokage had been facing off with Orochimaru, and the sight of the Sound shinobi helping Orochimaru flee.

Without hesitation, Jin dashed off in pursuit. He didn't know what had happened with the battle between the Hokage and Orochimaru, but he could not let him get away. He knew that he had no chance of defeating a Sannin, especially one without morals, but he had a score to settle. Despite knowing of Orochimaru's reputation as a Sannin, he had no fear in facing him. He wasn't the first Sannin he'd run into, and he certainly wasn't the most intimidating.

"Orochimaru!" Jin snarled, chasing after them as quickly as he could. He was exhausted, but he knew what would happen if he got away. More lives would be in danger of being ruined, and he couldn't allow that. Memories of the night he'd encountered Orochimaru's base of operations flashed through his mind.

 _Drip. Drip. Drip._

 _Rain leaked through a crack in the ceiling, pitter-pattering softly on the rough stone floor. Greenish light reflected off the small pool of water directly below the leak, illuminating the hallway faintly._

 _Jin ghosted down the the hallway, absolutely silent and with his ANBU mask fixed over his face. He blended in with the shadows as easily as if he were borne of them._

 _Just behind him, a taller man in a patterned ANBU mask crept along so close to Jin that his breath tickled the back of his neck. He walked just as silently, each step matching his partner's perfectly._

 _The pair stopped just short of an open door, Jin peeking inside before slipping in. "Raizo, we don't need to worry about being caught. Whoever was using this place is long gone." He edged around the room, examining each body lying on the floor and trying his best to avoid the pool of blood spread across the floor in a sea of red._

 _Raizo slid into the room behind him, glancing around. "You're right. We should dispose of their bodies and continue looking around." He spoke softly, as if he didn't want to disturb the dead, which were mutilated beyond recognition, though a few strange things could be made out, such as fur or scales._

 _Jin nodded slightly and backed away while his partner crouched next to the pile of bodies. Raizo made a few hand signs, muttering under his breath, and the pile of bodies caught fire, quickly burning to ash._

 _Raizo rose to his feet again and turned to face Jin. "Let's go."_

Jin shook his head to clear his mind. He'd been sent with Raizo to investigate sightings of strange people in that area, and had later found out that Orochimaru had been responsible for what had happened there, though it was more likely that he had ordered someone else to kill his failures rather than do it himself. Then, soon after that Orochimaru had done something absolutely unforgivable.

He was slowly catching up to Orochimaru and his subordinates now, though he was certain that they would soon try to do something to stop him from following. For a while, they did nothing except help their wounded leader escape.

However, once they had left the village behind, they stopped in a clearing as if they were ready take him out. That wasn't what ended up happening, though.

As Jin skidded to a stop in the clearing, a young woman dropped down in between the Sound shinobi and Jin. She hardly cast Orochimaru and his subordinates a glance as she stared at Jin. "You're lucky I was heading in this direction anyway. Father sent me on business. Get out of here while you have the chance. I'll take care of this nuisance. Next time, I won't be as kind." Her voice was monotone and lifeless.

The woman stood tall, bright red hair barely tamed by a messy ponytail. Her amber eyes were empty and dead, as if she had ripped every last emotion from her soul. She tipped her head to the side, staring at Jin in the same way that predator would stare at prey. As soon as Orochimaru and his Sound nin had escaped, she relaxed.

"Return from where you came. This isn't a fair fight right now. You're wounded, and I don't particularly like fighting morons who attack me when they're barely standing properly." The woman paused for a moment, staring, no, _leering_ at him. For a moment it looked as if her eyes had flashed red, but then it was gone a moment later as if he had just imagined it. "But let me make myself clear. I will return for your head. Now go."

Jin stared at her for a moment before spinning around and dashing back the way he'd come. She was right. He couldn't use his right arm right now, and he had no idea if the snake had been poisonous. Really, he was a mess and it would be stupid to engage in a fight with someone who hadn't been fighting as hard as he had for as long as he had. He had to be smart.

It didn't take long for Jin to make it back to the arena, where he met up with Kakashi. He landed next to him clumsily, stumbling forward a few steps. "It's over now, isn't it Hatake-sama? I went after that snake, but he got away. A strange woman helped him."

Kakashi seemed rather shocked to see him, and Jin wondered why until he remembered that he was drenched in snake blood that looked remarkably like human blood. He let out a sigh and wiped it from his face.

"Sit down. Is this all your blood?" Kakashi forced him to sit in one of the seats, glancing briefly at where the Hokage had been battling with Orochimaru. "I saw Jiraiya land on one of the snakes, but after that I didn't have time to look again."

Jin shook his head slightly. "No. Most of it is snake blood and...digestive fluids." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. It was just now hitting him. "Fuck. I was eaten by a snake. What the hell has my life become? I think I've hit my all time low today." He shook his head again. "Seriously, what the _fuck._ Damn, this really is in the top three worst days of my life. Fuck. Fuck. _Fuck."_

Kakashi stared at him for a moment, looking just a little shocked that Jin had just reacted like that. He was so polite, and didn't at all seem like the sort of person to swear like that. He supposed that it made sense for Jin to react in such a way after the day they had all just been through.

"Sorry, Hatake-sama. Forgive me. Can you wake up Hakaru-chan? Also, are boas poisonous? I know nothing about snakes and I want to make sure that I wasn't poisoned when it got me." Jin rubbed his face.

This had been one hell of a day.

* * *

It was raining, and Jin could not bring himself to enjoy to feel of it. A great man had been killed by Orochimaru, and it was as if even nature were mourning his loss. He hadn't known the Hokage well, but he had understood that he had been a good man.

He slowly approached the cenotaph that he'd been told Kakashi often visited, dressed in the black traditional attire that was worn to funerals. Because his Mizukage had asked him to express the Mist's condolences for Konoha's loss, he had been given permission to attend Sarutobi Hiruzen's funeral by Konoha's council.

His wounds had been healed enough that they wouldn't cause him too many problems, though because of the severity of the wound on his shoulder, he was required to keep his arm in a sling. Other than that, he hadn't sustained any major injuries, though a few burns from the snake's digestive fluids remained.

"Hatake-sama, miss." Jin bowed his head to Kakashi and the ANBU operative. "I was told that I could find you here. I heard that this is the place where Konoha honor those lost to battle. Kiri has something similar, though it's not nearly as well taken care of. Very few seem to honor the dead there." He let out a small sigh. "It's not like that in my home village...forgive me, I've interrupted something, haven't I? I just wanted to pay my respects to those that lost their lives fighting against Orochimaru. No, fighting to protect this village. I didn't know them well, and I am not part of this village, but for that day we fought together, as allies."

Jin went quiet after that, placing a bouquet of flowers on the cenotaph. Purple hyacinth for sorrow. A branch of olive as a wish for peace for the dead in their afterlife. Lastly, rosemary for remembrance. It was an odd bouquet, but the meaning was clear. He wished only peace for those who had fallen, and felt the sorrow as if he had known each of them personally. He would not forget their sacrifice.

With a humble bow towards the cenotaph, Jin turned away and began to head towards where the funeral would take place before Kakashi or the ANBU operative could say a word. He began humming softly, in a minor key, a tune that he knew well. It was a mourning song originating in his village. It didn't have any words, as it was used for every death and everyone close to those who had died would make up their own lyrics for the song. Jin had three such songs.

The funeral went on without a hitch, and Jin kept his distance until it was his turn to speak on behalf of the his Mizukage and the rest of Kiri. He stepped forward, bowing his head for a moment.

"On behalf of Terumi Mei and the Land of Water, I offer my sincerest condolences for the terrible loss Konoha has suffered with the death of your Hokage. Forgive me, but I have never known what to say at these sorts of times. I did not know him well or for very long, but for the time that I did, I could tell that he was a good man, that he was dedicated to the safety of this village, of this land. There is nothing that I can say that will ever express how tragic it is that such a great man has been lost. His loss will be felt not only by the people of this village, but by the people of this world. However, even though he is gone, a little piece of him will live on in those that knew him, and he'll never truly disappear from this world. Ahh, forgive me. I have spoken too informally for my position and in this situation." Jin bowed his head and turned away to leave while the Leaf shinobi began to pay their respects.

Jin didn't cast a single glance back as he walked away. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he had taken to exploring the village on days where he had no leads to chase. He'd always enjoyed exploring, which was why he knew the Land of Water so well that he could navigate the land and sea even if he were blind and deaf.

As he walked out of earshot of the Leaf shinobi, he began to hum again softly. He hated funerals and memorials. Kaoru had never gotten one since his stepfather had buried him in woods in the dead of night and reported him missing to throw suspicion off himself. Raizo had at least been given a proper funeral, since Jin had gone against protocol to bring his body back home. That funeral had destroyed him.

"Whoever you are, come out. I can feel you watching me, and I don't much appreciate it." Jin spoke suddenly, wiping his damp hair out of his eyes and pausing to wait for his follower to show themselves.

A few moments later, the white haired man who had been atop the toad on the day of the invasion showed himself, a grim expression on his face. He slowly went to Jin's side, watching him shrewdly.

"You must be Jiraiya-sama. I have heard much about you. You nearly squashed me to death with your toad after that snake ate me." Jin observed, staring at him for just a moment. "But I don't think you came to apologize to me for that. You're here for some other reason. Please get on with it, because I need to get back to Hakaru-chan, and you should be paying your respects to your Hokage."

"I'm here to let you know that I'm keeping an eye on you. If you show even the slightest indication of being a danger to this village, I will not hesitate to end you." Jiraiya had learned that it was best to be blunt with members of this family, and even though Jin bore a different surname, he was certain that he was a part of that family. For once, Jin was not being threatened because of his kekkei genkai, but for some reason that he did not yet understand.

"You have nothing to fear from me. If I were going to do something, I would have done it already. I am not the same as my village's reputation. I don't believe in mindless violence or harming innocents." Jin spoke quietly, glancing at Jiraiya with narrowed eyes. "I don't know what I have done to deserve your dislike, but I apologize for whatever it is that I did. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm busy."

Without another word, Jin walked away from the Sannin acting as if he had not just been threatened by one of Konoha's most dangerous shinobi.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading, and I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out! As a bit of an apology, this chapter is a bit longer than usual. I sort of feel like the beginning might be a bit rushed, but I feel like you guys would have been bored if I had taken the time to write out each match in the last part of the Chuunin Exams, since there wouldn't be any change to any of the matches. Thanks so much for reading!**

 **To Trisana: I'm glad to see that you're still enjoying Remnants! I took the time to reread the part where Jin shuts down after I saw your review, and you're right. Thank you for pointing that out to me! I really appreciate the constructive criticism, especially since I don't get a lot of it. It helps me improve my writing, and I love getting it. Thank you so much for pointing that out, and I'll be going over what I've written for that part again and probably rewriting it a little bit better while I'm working on the next chapter.**

 **Thanks again for reading! Feel free to review! The next chapter will be a bit more lighthearted in comparison to this chapter, so look forward to it! I'll try to have that one out soon!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Just letting you guys know that I rewrote a little bit of chapter eight. Nothing huge has changed, but as Trisana mentioned, Jin's recovery time seemed to short, so I fixed that. Anyway, the rest of the author's note will be at the bottom. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Ten

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at the idiot who had his rear end sticking out from a bush.

"Gah!" Naruto let out a yelp and struggled to pull himself out of the bush he had been hiding in. When he'd done that, he stood up straight and chuckled nervously. "Ahh...Sakura-chan, I'm not doing anything." He wasn't sure how she would feel about what he was doing. He was certain that she would tell him what he was doing was rude or something, though he couldn't see how it would be rude.

"Naruto." The anger in Sakura's voice was clear. She had definitely figured out that he was up to something. "What are you up to?"

Naruto glanced anxiously over the bush he had been hiding in, and then back at Sakura. "I can't tell you here. I don't want him to hear us!" He gulped, and grabbed Sakura by the wrist, dragging her away before she could see who he was talking about.

When the pair reached a quiet spot, Naruto let go of her wrist. Almost immediately, Sakura whacked him over the head and glared at him. "What are you doing?!" She snarled, putting her hands on her hips again.

Naruto yelped and rubbed the back of his head. "Sakura-chan…" He whined. He'd been working on perfecting the puppy pout, but Sakura seemed completely impervious to it so far.

"What the hell is the matter with you, Naruto? Are you trying to let everyone know what we're up to? He'll figure it out if you keep being an idiot." Sasuke crossed his arms and glared at Naruto. Apparently, he'd been there for a few moments watching them.

"Sasuke-kun? You're helping Naruto with one of ridiculous schemes?" Sakura asked incredulously, as if she couldn't believe her ears. "What are you two up to?!"

"That's what I would like to know." Kakashi stepped around the building, bright orange Icha Icha book in his hand. "You two have been up to something strange for the last few days. I've never seen you work so well together before. What are you plotting?" He gave Naruto a pointed look.

Naruto huffed, glaring at Kakashi. "I was just getting to that when you showed up, Kakashi-sensei! What me and Sasuke are doing is...trying to prove that Jin is a vampire!"

Sakura stared at him for a moment before whacking him. "What the hell is wrong with you?! That's so rude! Of course he's not a vampire!"

Kakashi let out a sigh and shook his head. "Where'd you get this ridiculous idea from? Actually, Sasuke, since you seem to believe this, too, you had better explain. It'll make more sense coming from you."

Sasuke snorted slightly. "You've noticed how weird he is, haven't you? He's the palest person I've ever seen. I thought he was ghost when I first saw him. Then there's his teeth. His canines are longer than average. He always complains about how hot it is here, and how the sun makes his bones ache. And have you seen how everyone seems to fall under some sort of spell around him?"

Kakashi knew that there were rational explanations for all those things, and he was sure that Sakura wouldn't be convinced by that weak evidence either. Until she spoke up.

"...that sounds exactly like a vampire." She whispered in a hushed tone.

Kakashi had a feeling that she was just agreeing because Sasuke was the one who had laid out the 'facts.' Well, he supposed it would be interesting to see what happened, and it _would_ be good experience for his students. He just hoped that Jin wouldn't mind. Not that he was going to tell him. He was also glad that they all seemed inclined to work together.

"Alright, since you're all so convinced, I don't see any harm in investigating. I won't say anything to him. Just don't make it too obvious, okay?" Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, hoping Jin wouldn't hold this against him when he found out. His students weren't exactly subtle.

Naruto cheered, throwing his fist up in the air. "Yes! Time to begin Operation: Prove Jin Is A Vampire!"

"Hm? You want to take me shopping?" Jin tipped his head to the side and stared down at Sakura. "I suppose I do need some new clothes. I can't really try anything on with my arm like this, though." He was still required to keep his arm in a sling while his shoulder healed the rest of the way. "I also don't have much money to spend, either."

* * *

They were standing just outside of Naruto's apartment, waiting while Sasuke dragged Naruto out of his pigsty. He wasn't sure what was taking so long.

"Don't worry about that, Jin-san! Kakashi-sensei said that he would pitch in, and so did Naruto and Sasuke-kun. I will, too! You need some better clothes. Kakashi-sensei mentioned that the ones you wear now make you look like a prostitute. I can help you pick out something better. And they'll help you try things on." Sakura smiled sweetly, hoping that she was acting well enough that Jin wouldn't suspect anything.

He didn't. "Thank you, Haruno-hime. I would really like that. Shall we go now? I have some time. But I do have things to do after the sun sets." Jin smiled at her.

"Oh, you do? Like what?" Sakura was growing more suspicious. Sasuke was right! "Shouldn't you be sleeping? There isn't usually anything going on when the sun goes down."

"Ahh, that doesn't matter...wait a second, did you just say that Hatake-sama says I look like a prostitute?! He said that to me, but I didn't think he'd tell you guys that! You're so young! That's not appropriate!" Jin quickly changed the subject, frowning. It was funny of him to say that, since he'd been working in a courtesan house since he was way younger than her.

Sakura couldn't help but giggle a little at that comment. She was thirteen _and_ a kunoichi! How was that too young?

Before either of them could say anything else, there was a strangled shout from inside Naruto's apartment. It sounded like Sasuke. Both Jin and Sakura went inside, deciding that it would be wise to separate them before they started fighting.

A strange sight met them when they entered the kitchen. Naruto was howling with laughter in the doorway, hand on the wall to keep himself from falling over. Sasuke was lying on his back on the floor with what looked like a giant orange cotton ball on his chest. It wasn't until the 'cotton ball' moved that Jin realized that it was just a very large and fluffy cat.

As soon as the cat looked up at him, Jin knew that he was in trouble. He was generally really good with animals, especially cats, but he'd learned how to tell when he was dealing with a cat that didn't like strangers. This was one of those cats, and almost immediately, it launched itself at him, looking rather like an orange, fluffy cannonball.

Sasuke yelped when the cat used him for traction to get at Jin, and sat up. He winced and glanced over to watch this scene unfold. Supposedly, cats hated vampires so much that they attacked on sight. So far, it looked like this was proof that Jin could be a vampire. Or maybe Naruto had picked out a really angry cat. He had a feeling that it was the latter, because the cat had attacked him first.

Jin backed away quickly, his eyes widening slightly. He tripped backwards over a pile of dirty clothes that Naruto had tossed on the floor. He tried to catch himself with his good arm, but wasn't quick enough. He was more worried about the cat trying to tear his eyes out.

The cat landed on his face and stared into his eyes with pure hatred before digging its claws into him and shredding him as violently as it could.

Jin flung his arm up, trying to shield his eyes while simultaneously trying to shove it away from him without harming it. Thankfully, Sakura intervened almost immediately and dragged the angry cat away. She held it out at arm's length while it struggled as violently as a twenty pound cat could.

Sasuke went over to Sakura to help her keep control of the thing while they rushed it out the front door and left it outside.

When they returned, Jin was sitting up, his hands covering his face. "Please bring Hakaru-chan here."

* * *

After having Hakaru fix up his face, Jin felt like he could venture outside to go shopping with them, but he forced Naruto, who hadn't explained why he had a cat, to make sure the evil thing had left.

Kakashi joined them shortly after they left Naruto's apartment, undoubtedly late. For once, though, Sakura and Naruto didn't yell at him for it. He thought it was a little odd, but he supposed that they had probably just given up.

"Since Naruto so rudely let his cat attack you, he's going to treat us all to dinner tonight, right?" Sakura glared menacingly at him.

Naruto gulped and nodded meekly. "Ahh...yeah, totally!" He replied hastily, stepping away from her in case she took a swing at him.

Sakura smiled sweetly at him. "Good."

Kakashi stifled a snort, and walked along behind them all. Jin noticed and slowed his pace to match Kakashi's. He offered him a smile. "Your students are cute. But Uzumaki-sama needs to get rid of that orange cotton ball he's acquired." He shuddered at the thought of the angry cat. "Send the cat to fight off your enemies. That thing is more terrifying than half the shinobi in Kiri."

"That's a bit concerning." Though he hadn't helped Naruto pick out the cat, he had pretty much approved every idea they came up with to prove that Jin was a vampire. Which was why, when Naruto spun around and tossed a bucket of water he had somehow acquired without Jin noticing, he darted out of the way.

Jin, not expecting it, was too slow to move, and definitely confused. He didn't even register that Naruto and Sasuke were whispering furiously to each other. He was drenched now, and wondered if Naruto had completely lost his mind.

"I had that water blessed or whatever at that shrine at the end of town, so if he's a vampire, it should hurt him!" Naruto whispered furiously to Sasuke.

"You idiot, what if you kill him?!" Sasuke pointed out, frowning at him.

"Oh...oh no! I didn't think about that!" Naruto glanced over at Jin in horror, but sighed in relief when it just seemed to have irritated and not killed him. Then something occurred to him. "What if he's a super powerful vampire?! What if that's why he's not burning?"

Sasuke slapped a hand over his mouth, hoping Jin hadn't heard his outburst. "Shh!"

Jin was far too focused on something else to have heard Naruto. "Dammit. These bandages weren't supposed to get wet. I need to change them. Sorry, Haruno-hime, I've gotta take care of this before you guys can take me shopping. Though, I'm beginning to think that Uzumaki-sama should stay at least ten feet away from me for now."

Kakashi chuckled. "Come on, it's probably best for Naruto to get his act together first. Sakura, Sasuke, please keep an eye on him for a while. We'll be back soon." He turned and nudged Jin away from his students, guiding him in the direction of his home.

Jin sighed as Kakashi led him away, and he was glad that Hakaru wasn't there when they arrived. He'd left to find Kiba after he had fixed poor Jin's face. "Thanks, Hatake-sama. I guess my luck isn't that great today." With his good hand, he pushed his wet bangs out of his face. He shifted the arm in the sling restlessly, frowning a little. He hated letting things heal naturally, but the nurses had told him that Hakaru didn't have the level of skill needed to treat wounds as bad as his, and they had been so busy after the invasion that they had decided it would be better to let it heal naturally until such a time that the majority injured in the invasion had recovered fully, or complications arose.

"Ah, well, it can't really get worse, then, can it?" Kakashi shrugged, smiling beneath his mask as he let Jin inside. He knew that it would probably get much worse, but he would make sure that his students didn't do anything too bad. "Go sit down, I'll help you change the dressings." He figured that there would be no way he could get Jin to go to the hospital willingly.

Jin did as he was told, waiting quietly and wishing that he wasn't dripping water all over the place. He couldn't change, though, until his sling was off and his bandages had been changed. "I'm not so sure. You'd be surprised how bad my days can get." He shook his head slightly, wondering where Naruto had gotten the bucket of water anyway. He certainly hadn't had it while they'd been walking. He would have noticed that.

Kakashi returned a few moments later and pulled up a chair next to Jin. He sat down and undid his sling. "Don't move your arm too much." He said as Jin almost immediately began stretching his stiff arm out. Gently, he slid Jin's kimono off his shoulder enough to see the bandages.

Jin winced as Kakashi began undoing his bandages. He was accustomed to pain, but he didn't like it at all. He let out a hiss when the last of the bandages were pulled from the wound. It wasn't a pretty sight to see. Since he had to let the wound heal naturally for the moment, it had been neatly stitched together, and though it was beginning to heal nicely, it was deep enough that after it had healed, he would likely need at least some physical therapy to build up his strength again. On top of that, it was so deep that there would be a permanent scar, and no amount of medical ninjutsu would be able to prevent that completely.

Neither spoke while Kakashi dabbed at his wound with a towel to dry it off and remove a little blood that had seeped from between the stitches. When he was done with that, he bandaged his shoulder back up and gave him a nod. "Get changed, and I'll help you with your sling."

Jin rose to his feet and went off to the room he shared with Hakaru. He closed the door and grabbed a spare outfit. He undressed and changed into a clean kimono. However, when it got to the point that he had to pull the sleeve on over his shoulder, he had trouble because he could hardly lift that arm. Hakaru had helped him get dressed earlier, and had tied the obi around his kimono for him because he couldn't do it himself yet.

After spending far too much time on it, he managed to get his sleeve up over his shoulder. Now he just had to figure out how to tie his obi. Luckily, right at that moment, Kakashi knocked on the door.

"You're taking an awful long time. You haven't hurt yourself, have you?" He asked through the door.

"No, I'm fine. It's just difficult to tie an obi with such limited movement. I'll be out in a moment, don't worry." Jin replied, growing frustrated. A second later, the door opened, and he glanced backwards to see Kakashi coming in behind him.

Kakashi took the obi from him and reached around his waist. He made sure that his kimono was positioned correctly and then pulled the obi tight to keep it in place. He wrapped it around once more and then began to tie it, making sure that it was loose enough that it wasn't uncomfortable. "Turn around." When Jin did as he was told, Kakashi began straightening the obi out a little, making sure it looked neat. It was certainly a better job than what Hakaru had done.

"Thank you, Hatake-sama. I didn't realize that you could tie an obi so well. You don't seem like the sort of person to wear traditional clothing." Jin offered him a smile and let him put his arm back in the sling.

Kakashi merely shrugged, but Jin could tell that he was smiling beneath his mask, and he wondered what that smile would like without the mask. He dismissed the thought almost immediately, knowing that Kakashi likely had a reason for wearing the mask, and wouldn't want him prying.

"Are you ready to go?" Kakashi asked after Jin had slipped his sandals on. When he nodded, Kakashi led him back out. His three students stood on the doorstep, waiting for them. Apparently, they hadn't wanted to wait any longer.

"Ahh, Uzumaki-sama, would you mind standing away from me? No offense, but, uh, you seem to have caused the last two problems that I've had." Jin shifted slightly behind Kakashi, as if to use him as a shield.

Naruto huffed, but backed away a little. He still had more tricks up his sleeve, and both Sasuke and Sakura were gonna help him with them! They were going to prove that he was a vampire!

Sakura giggled a little. "Come on, let's get going before it gets too late. We don't want to keep Jin-san for too long. I'm sure he has things to do later."

Both Sasuke and Naruto nodded in agreement, frightening Jin a little. He was beginning to wonder what hell he had woken up two _never_ got along. "Okay, I don't know what's going on, but it's creeping me out." He shook his head, but followed the four quickly.

Sakura picked every place they went. She was definitely the most useful when it came to picking out outfits that would look good on him, though he refused to wear anything other than a kimono or yukata.

It turned out that Sakura was actually an expert when it came to color choices. She took the time to stare into Jin's eyes long enough to figure out what range of colors would accentuate them. Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi had no idea what was going on, but Jin seemed to know what she was talking about.

"Yellows and golds would really make your eyes stand out, Jin-san. Different shades of purple and violet would also go really nicely. Here, let me see...you like flashier things, right?" Sakura weaved around the racks where different kimono and yukata hung. She let out a sigh. "Honestly, you'd be better suited to a women's kimono. You'd have more options that way."

Jin nodded, following after her. "I don't mind wearing a women's kimono. I've done it before, and they're really beautiful." He smiled at her, while Naruto gave him a weird look. "Actually, the one I'm wearing now is a kimono meant for a woman. Now that I think about it, I do crossdress a lot."

Sakura didn't seem to find this all that strange, instead seeming pleased. "Good, come on. Let's look over here. I think the only problem you'll run into is finding something that's long enough. You're a bit tall." She led him around to some of the more colorful kimono.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi followed them cluelessly, resembling lost puppies in a sea of cats. They were rather tired of helping Jin try things on, only for Sakura to decide that they didn't suit him.

"What are you doing here, Forehead?" Ino asked, poking her head from around a rack of formal kimono. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm trying to help Jin-san pick out a few new outfits. Kakashi-sensei and the boys aren't any help with this, either." Sakura paused, staring at the kimono she had just picked out. "What do you think, Ino-pig? Too red?"

Ino stepped closer, and took the kimono from her. "Lean down, so that I can compare this to your eyes." Jin did as he was told, blinking as little as possible. "Mm...I see the problem. Yellows and golds would work better as an accent color to make his eyes pop, rather than as the primary color. A dark indigo or violet would be better for him, since his eyes are so unique."

The girls began discussing what would look best on him, and began picking out things for him to try on. Jin paid close attention to what they were saying, impressed by their expertise. He was good at picking out things that would make him irresistible, but he was nowhere near as good as they were.

Behind them, Naruto made gestures towards the mirror nearby. The mirror test was a good way to tell whether someone was a vampire or not, though it wasn't infallible. If that didn't work, they would have to try taking pictures of him. If that failed, they had one more plan to try before they would have to force him to admit it.

Ino and Sakura decided on one kimono that they thought would be perfect for him, and found an obi that matched the gold accented patterns. They pushed him into the changing room with Kakashi and Sasuke, Jin having expressed his fear of something bad happening again if Naruto came too close to him.

It took only a little longer than it normally would because of Jin's wound, but eventually, they emerged from the changing room, Sakura immediately ushering him towards the mirror. She had to admit, she and Ino were _fantastic_ when it came to things like this.

Jin posed as well as he could in front of the mirror, examining how he looked in the kimono they had helped him pick out. It was a deep, shimmery violet, a few shades darker than his eyes. There were accents of shiny gold all along it in beautiful swirling patterns. The obi he wore was a gold in the same shade as the gold in the kimono, patterned with stitchings of flowers and birds in the same shade of gold. The colors made his eyes seem brighter, more vivid, not that they hadn't been incredibly vivid before.

The effect the outfit had was devastating. He looked like the delicate prince of some incredibly powerful country. He had definitely been beautiful before, but now there was something more ethereal about him, as if he were something that did not belong on this earth, and instead belonged sitting between the sun goddess Amaterasu and the moon god Tsukiyomi.

When Jin turned to face them after examining himself in the mirror, he surprised to see that he had some sort of strange effect on all of them, even Kakashi. He tipped his head to the side slightly. "What's the matter?" He didn't seem to realize the effect he had.

Sakura cleared her throat. "That's a good one." She glanced at Ino, who nodded her agreement quickly. "Let's get that one for him, then. Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke-kun, do you want to help Jin change back into his other outfit?" She checked the time. "Ah, it's about dinner time now. Perhaps it's better if Naruto doesn't take us out for dinner, though." She had a plan. "My mom and dad probably wouldn't mind having guests. They really like having people over. Ino-pig, do you want to come along?" She almost felt bad for what she was going to be subjected to. She supposed that there had to be sacrifices, though, in their effort to prove that Jin was a vampire. There would be many sacrifices before this night was over.

Naruto pouted a little, and grabbed a camera out from his pocket. He was almost offended that they didn't want him to take them out to dinner. He wanted ramen, after all, and he was sure that everyone else did too. He managed to snap a picture of Jin while he wasn't looking, but was disappointed to find that he showed up on camera, like he did in mirrors.

"That sounds nice, but I wouldn't want to impose, Haruno-hime." Jin smiled at her as Sasuke and Kakashi took him back to the changing room. It took just a few minutes for him to change with their help.

"Actually, that might be nice, if you don't mind." Jin said when they returned from the changing room. He smiled at her. "I suppose I can take a break from what I was gonna do tonight. Technically, I'm supposed to be resting anyway."

Sakura smiled sweetly. "That's great!"

* * *

To say that dinner at Sakura's house was uncomfortable would be an understatement. It went perfectly fine at first. Jin thrived on social interaction, and he enjoyed the company of her parents, despite how...intense they could be. Mebuki was kind, but serious. Kizashi was lighthearted and enjoyable to be around.

The first sign that there was about to be trouble was when Sakura went to help her mother make dinner in the kitchen, because a few moments after she left and Mebuki came out to socialize while her daughter watched their dinner cook, a strong odor of garlic wafted out of the kitchen.

Jin didn't realize that there was anything off about that until dinner was served. As soon as he took that first bite, he almost choked because of how overpowering the garlic was, and he wasn't the only one. Sakura and Sasuke managed to keep mostly straight faces, and while the food disappeared off Kakashi's plate, he never once saw the mask off his face.

After a painful meal that Jin didn't even remember most of, in his defense, the sheer amount of garlic had traumatized him, he and Team Seven, plus Ino, left the house, bidding goodbye to Mebuki and Kizashi. As soon as they were out of the house, Naruto had an outburst. He apparently couldn't keep from finally demanding answers.

"Admit it! You're a vampire! It was obvious by the way you reacted in there!" He shouted at him.

Jin didn't respond immediately, his eyes widening in shock, and his face blushing bright red. They weren't on the same page. "...how did you find out about that?! I told him to never speak of it! Oh no." He put his face in his hand, unable to look at any of them, he was so badly embarrassed.

"It was easy! You show most of the signs of being a-" He was cut off by Sakura, who seemed to have realized that they weren't talking about the same thing.

"Jin-san, I'm sure we misunderstood what he said. Would you tell us your side?" Sakura asked, smiling up at him. "I'm not sure it's as bad as he made it sound." Kakashi raised his eyebrow at how manipulative Sakura was being. He supposed it was good practice for gathering intelligence.

"Gah, I don't know how you could have even met him." Jin shook his head slightly, refusing to look at them. "I'm _not_ a vampire. That guy just has a really creepy vampire kink." He groaned, wishing he didn't have to think about this again. "I was maybe seventeen, and this guy came into the courtesan house that I was working for, and uh, he asked for the courtesan that most resembled a vampire, and somehow I fit that description. So, this guy comes in and closes the door behind him. I start up with my typical routine, you know, regular greetings and all that stuff. So, uh…" A low whine escaped from between his lips. "Uh, this guy asks to uh, get down to business, so to speak, and he tells me that he wants to role play, and he wanted me to play a vampire. Um...and long story short, I pissed him off because I didn't bite like a real vampire, and he tried to show me how, and honestly, no one went home happy that night." He was leaving things out, but he couldn't bear to say anymore than what he had already.

Ino wrinkled her nose a little. "Forehead, I don't know know what you dragged me into, but I don't appreciate it. Especially after all that garlic." With that, she traipsed off home without another word.

The other four didn't seem to notice her departure, instead just staring at Jin, who kept his face hidden in his hand. Even Kakashi seemed a little caught off guard.

"...we just thought you were a vampire. Sakura tricked you." Sasuke said bluntly, feeling like he needed to bleach his ears now, even though Jin hadn't gone into the awkward details.

Jin cringed, turning away from them. "You're awful children. All of you." He whined, shaking his head. "You're awful, too, Hatake-sama. You had to know they were planning this. You let them trick me into talking about the most humiliating thing that's ever happened to me."

Sakura couldn't help but giggle a little. "Jin-san...is this what it's like to have an older brother? Embarrassing him all the time?" She didn't seem to notice Sasuke stiffening beside her.

Jin's eyes widened slightly. "You're embarrassing me. Quit that." He mumbled, feeling rather flattered. Unfortunately for him, he didn't see the mischievous expression cross Naruto's face.

"Yeah, is this what it's like, Jin-nii-chan?" Naruto asked gleefully, as if he had somehow figured out that referring to him in such a way would further embarrass him.

Jin didn't know how to respond. "You...I don't know how to deal with this. I'm going for a walk. You guys should go home." Before they could protest, he scurried off and disappeared around a building.

Kakashi chuckled. "See you later. Try not to get into too much more trouble now, okay?" He smiled beneath his mask and went off in the same direction Jin had gone.

* * *

Jin leaned back against the tree, stretching his legs out in front him. He had stopped off at Kakashi's and dropped off his new kimono, and promptly left before Kakashi got home. Now, he just sat on one of the training grounds, gazing up at the cloudless night sky. He was taken aback by how beautiful the stars were, even though he had studied how to navigate by the stars. The stars were rarely visible back in Kiri, hidden by fog or storm clouds.

It was strange, but he found that the view of the stars from Konoha comforting. It wasn't that he was homesick, it was more because he felt lost. He was coming to realize that the people of Konoha, the people of a rival village, treated him better than the people of his own village, better than his family treated him.

It was a sad thought, because he knew he was going to have to get used to being treated like a doormat again when he inevitably returned home. He didn't want to be treated like that anymore, now that he had grown accustomed to being treated with respect.

Gazing at the sky, Jin located two stars separated by the Milky Way. "Do you know the story behind those two stars, Hatake-sama? The village I was born in has a very special festival dedicated to them. It predates even the first Mizukage, when shinobi followed very different rules, at the command of no one but their Daimyo."

Kakashi stepped out from behind a tree and approached Jin. He sat down on his left side, stretching his feet out in front of him. "I don't think I have." He replied, watching as Jin pointed to each star in turn.

Jin couldn't help but smile, and glance over at him. "Once upon a time, there lived a shinobi in the Land of Water, who was the Daimyo's oldest son. He was strong and brave, and dedicated to his country, and held a unique power over ice. He was so dedicated, that he took and carried out any mission that was assigned to him, no matter how dangerous, or how cruel."

He paused for a moment, staring up at the sky. He didn't look at Kakashi, but knew that he was listening because he didn't hear the turning of the pages of Kakashi's erotic novels. He smiled a little, and took a deep breath before continuing.

"There came a time that the shinobi, who went by the name of Kotaro, was sent to the mainland, where the other four great nations were located, to retrieve information from the Daimyo in the Land of Fire, and once that was complete, assassinate the Daimyo and his heir. However, when he arrived in the Land of Fire, and met the young heir, Yoshihisa, he found that he could not stand to harm him. He had fallen in love at first sight." Jin smiled faintly.

"That sounds a bit unrealistic." Kakashi finally commented.

Jin couldn't help but laugh. "It's a story. It's not supposed to be." He glanced at Kakashi, smiling faintly at him. "Kotaro took the time he was supposed to be using to gain information and used it instead to get to know Yoshihisa, who had also fallen for him the moment their eyes had met that first time." Jin looked back up at the sky, staring at the two stars, the one representing Kotaro glowing a faint violet, and the one representing Yoshihisa glowing a faint red. "I think I should mention, before I continue, that this story is a tragedy, and that if you don't want to hear the rest of it, I won't finish it."

"If you thought I wouldn't want to hear the end of it, you shouldn't have started it. You can't leave me in suspense now." Kakashi replied, smiling beneath his mask.

Jin gasped exaggeratedly, and covered his mouth with his free hand. "Are you telling me that you're interested in a story that isn't part of your porn collection?" He asked, feigning shock. "I'm amazed." A moment later, he burst out laughing. "Sorry, sorry. Let me continue on with the story." He cleared his throat before going on, "the time came when Kotaro was supposed to assassinate the Daimyo and his heir. He waited until night fell, and slipped into Yoshihisa's room. Kunai in hand, he went over to where Yoshihisa slept peacefully in his bed, and though he raised his kunai, as if to strike, he could not deal the blow that would kill the love of his life. Yoshihisa, who had woken the moment Kotaro approached his bed, looked up at him, asking silently what he would do. Though Kotaro didn't know it yet, Yoshihisa had already found out his true identity."

Jin took a few moments to rest his voice, his expression growing somber as he remembered the rest of the story. "And so, Kotaro told Yoshihisa his story, and proclaimed his love for him, apologizing for keeping such a secret from him. Yoshihisa was overjoyed, and so they made a plan. Kotaro was to return home to tell his father that he would not go through with the assassination, and that he was leaving to be with Yoshihisa. He couldn't bear to disappear without telling his younger brothers and sisters goodbye. Yoshihisa was to tell his father that he loved Kotaro, and leave for the place that they agreed to meet, at the northern border of Fire Country. Before they parted ways, though, they gave each other parting gifts as a promise to return home. Yoshihisa gave Kotaro a mask comprised of glass and pure chakra, and Kotaro gave Yoshihisa a pendant of ice that would never melt, imbued with his own chakra. It was a promise that they would meet again."

Kakashi glanced at Jin, watching him curiously. He wondered if it was pure coincidence that Kotaro has the same kekkei genkai as Jin did, or if Kotaro's character was based on someone with that genetic trait.

"And so, they parted ways, promising each other that they would soon be free together. Kotaro returned home, and told his father, the Daimyo, that he would not assassinate the Land of Fire's Daimyo and his heir. He told his father that he was leaving because he loved Yoshihisa, and that he would not return. He knew that his father would see this as betrayal, as treason, but he wasn't afraid. Once he had told his father, he turned and fled the palace, knowing that only death would await him if he stayed even a moment longer. He fled to the place where the channel of water between the Water Country and Fire Country was the most narrow, knowing that it would be the easiest place to cross." Jin's expression grew sad.

"Yoshihisa took his time preparing what he would need for the journey north, knowing that it would take some time for Kotaro to get to their meeting spot. When he was finally ready to go, he went to confront his father. He knew that as long as he was the Daimyo's heir, he would never be able to be with Kotaro. And so, he stripped himself of his title in front of his father and the rest of the court. However, he could not get away quite so easily as Kotaro, and the Daimyo ordered his finest shinobi to catch Yoshihisa and take him to the spot where the channel of water between Fire Country and Water Country was the narrowest. Kotaro and Yoshihisa didn't know that when they died, they would be so close, and yet so far away." Jin licked his lips before continuing on. "Kotaro was caught on the shore, where he was about to cross, by his father's shinobi. Across the channel of water, Yoshihisa was waiting to be executed. That day, it was unusually clear. There wasn't any of the typical mist rising from the sea, and both Kotaro and Yoshihisa could see each other from separate shorelines. Kotaro desperately fought to free himself from his father's shinobi so that he could rush to to Yoshihisa's side, and even though he was fatally wounded, he didn't stop fighting until his very last breath, and though he did not want to die, he was glad that he could see Yoshihisa one last time, and vowed to himself that even in death, he would walk the earth until he was reunited with Yoshihisa, even if that meant he would spend eternity looking out over the channel of water where his lover was just beyond his reach. Yoshihisa's death was not long after Kotaro's. The moment he saw Kotaro drop to the ground, he stopped fighting. In that moment, he promised himself that he would follow him to the grave and, if necessary, spend the rest of eternity searching for his only love. Years after that, people began to notice that on either side of the channel of water, strange things happened. Voices were heard, Yoshihisa calling for Kotaro, and Kotaro calling for Yoshihisa. Specters were seen. The channel became known as the Star-Crossed Lover's Channel, where those who held sympathy for Kotaro and Yoshihisa brought flowers every year for them, on the day of their death."

Jin stopped to catch his breath. He always tended to get ahead of himself when telling stories like that, always rushing on ahead without bothering to stop to breathe often enough. He liked storytelling.

"But why do the stars represent Kotaro and Yoshihisa?" Kakashi asked after Jin had caught his breath.

Jin smiled and pointed up at the sky. "Look up at the Milky Way. See how it looks similar to a narrow channel between an island and mainland? Now, look at that star there. The bright one that's glowing almost purple. That one represents Kotaro. And then this one, on the other side of the Milky Way, is the one that represents Yoshihisa. It's the one glowing almost reddish. It represents their spirits searching for each other across the sea."

"I see. That is tragic." Kakashi said softly, watching the sky.

Jin nodded slightly, letting out a sigh. "Anyway, sorry I just kinda vanished earlier. I, uh, I didn't know how to react to to what Haruno-hime and Uzumaki-sama said. Especially after they tricked me into telling them about...about that thing." He put his face in his hand, face flushing red again.

Kakashi chuckled, glancing over at him. "Don't worry about it. I didn't think you'd be so easy to trick." He reached over and patted his head.

"I let my guard down. I'm sorry you had to hear that, though. I didn't want anyone to hear that." Jin paused for a moment, seeming troubled. "I don't want you to think less of me because of...because of my other... _profession._ I know how people who know about it look at me, and...I don't want you, or anyone else here, to look at me that way."

"Why would I think any less of you? I don't care if you work as a courtesan sometimes. I don't think that defines who you are." Kakashi chose his words carefully, looking back up at the sky.

"...thanks, Hatake-sama." Jin smiled and slowly looked back up at the sky.

The pair sat there for a while in silence, observing the stars. It wasn't until he felt something plop on his shoulder, that Kakashi realized that Jin had fallen asleep. He glanced over at him, startled to find Jin's face so close to his. His breathing was deep and even, and he looked rather peaceful. He hadn't noticed until this moment how tired Jin looked.

Kakashi didn't really want to end up sleeping against a tree, but Jin sort of reminded him of a puppy, and he wasn't sure he had the heart to wake him up, especially if he hadn't been sleeping well. With a soft sigh, he shifted Jin slowly, so as not to wake him, until his head rested in his lap. He didn't want to hear Jin complain about having a crick in his neck when he woke up.

Leaning his head back, Kakashi closed his eye and tried to get to sleep.

* * *

The next several days passed in a blur for Jin. Naruto left with Jiraiya to find the new Hokage. Akatsuki had come looking for Naruto, and in the process, had put Kakashi in the hospital.

When Jin learned which members of the Akatsuki had been there, he'd been horrified, and then enraged. If he had been there, then the Akatsuki would have one less member. After learning about what had happened to Kakashi, he had begun visiting him in the hospital.

It was a cloudy day, and Jin was once more going to visit him, when he was stopped in a deserted street. The woman who had stopped him was familiar to him, and he didn't recognize her until he heard her voice.

"Shiraishi Jin." She spoke in a monotone voice, her amber eyes narrowed. "I no longer have the luxury of waiting until you've healed to challenge you. Your head is mine."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I enjoyed writing this chapter, and it turned out longer than I expected! I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! I know this chapter is a bit silly, but I still hope you enjoyed it. There's quite a bit relevant information, and I hope you guys picked up on it! For the story that Jin told Kakashi, I had a hard time trying to find any information about the shinobi world before the villages were founded, so I sort of took a few liberties with it. I hope you don't mind too much!**

 **To sarahgri99: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, and considering how much you already like Jin and Kakashi's relationship, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really liked writing it. And don't worry you'll find out why Jiraiya doesn't like Jin soon enough!**

 **To Trisana: I have rewritten the first part of chapter eight to make the time Jin takes recovering longer! I hope you enjoy it! As far as the Chuunin Exams part, I'm glad you appreciate it! In the past, I've written each fight before, and it was always really tedious, and now I just don't do that anymore unless I'm actually majorly changing things. I always tend to skim over the exams in any fanfiction that I read, too, because I've watched those episodes so many times that I probably know them by heart by now. I always have a hard time trying to figure out how to make sure I'm not making characters too overpowered, and I'm glad that you think I've succeeded, haha. And yes! His fighting style was supposed to be pretty adaptive, and I'm glad that I'm managing to portray that! He learned a lot of things working with some of the swordsmen of the mist, so maybe soon enough, you'll see some of those skills too. As far as Jin's ancestors...well, all will be revealed in due time!**

 **On another note, I feel that I should mention that pretty soon, this story will start veering off into AU, so be prepared for that! Thanks again for reading!**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Shifting his stance slightly, Jin stared at the woman before him. She was the same woman that had given Orochimaru a chance to escape. "You can't have my head. I kinda need it to live, in case you didn't know that. Leave."

"Jin-san…? W-what are you doing in an empty area like this?" Hinata poked her head around the building behind Jin, a small frown on her face. "I heard that you were supposed to be resting…" Her gaze fell on the expressionless woman standing in front of Jin.

"Hyuuga-hime, get out of here. Get help." Jin didn't glance back, reaching into his kimono and pulling out a kunai with his good hand. With his right arm still in a sling and practically unusable, he was at a definite disadvantage. "I don't know who this woman is, but there's something wrong with her." When Hinata hesitated, her gaze flicking between Jin and the woman, he glanced back at her. " _Go."_

A moment later, Hinata vanished back around the corner, to do as she was told. Perhaps she had sensed that this woman wasn't someone to be messed with. Jin returned his attention to the woman standing before him.

"They won't get here in time to save you, you know." The woman said softly. "Now, let's get this over with. Yours is not the only head I need to retrieve today."

Jin shook his head slightly, but said nothing as she launched herself at him. Her first blow glanced off his kunai with a resounding clang. He was rather relieved to find that she wasn't all that strong. There was hardly any force behind the blow.

Harming him didn't seem to be her intention yet, though. It appeared that she had another goal. Without hesitation, she grabbed Jin's bare wrist tightly in her small hand and smirked. Her amber eyes flashed red for a moment, and Jin thought they reminded him of something.

Almost immediately, the most intense pain he had ever felt ripped up through his arm and shoulder. His legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed on the ground. His ears rang so badly with the pain that he couldn't make out what the woman was saying. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, the pain only increasing the longer she held onto his wrist. But when she finally let go, the pain didn't lessen, instead growing more intense.

When the ringing in his ears began to fade, he could hear voices getting closer, and the woman that had attacked him muttering under her breath.

"Damn, I took too long." She snarled near his ear. "You're lucky this time. Enjoy what little of your life you have left. It seems that I'll have to take out Haruno first." Then she was gone, and he could hear Sakura and Hinata, and Mitarashi Anko approaching.

"Jin-san!" They were by his side in a moment, Sakura leaning down to check on him. "What happened?! Are you-" She stopped short when she saw his arm. "Anko-san, I think we need to get Jin-san to the hospital. Look at his arm."

"Oi, Shiraishi, if you're alive, open your eyes. Say something." Jin heard Anko crouch next to him, waiting for some form of acknowledgement.

Jin groaned, trying to open his eyes. Apparently, that was enough for Anko, because a moment later, Anko was lifting him up with Sakura's help. Pain tore through his arm again as it was jostled, and he cried out in pain.

"Help me with him. He's heavy, and we don't know what happened." Anko ordered Sakura.

Their voices sounded very far away to Jin, as if they were talking from across a crowded could hardly register what they were saying, with how much pain he was in. He wasn't even coherent enough to try to figure out what the hell that woman had done to him.

"Jin-san, it'll be okay. We're gonna get you help. This is probably going to hurt." He could hear Sakura's voice right next to his ear now. "Hinata, run ahead and tell them we're coming!"

Jin couldn't handle the pain anymore. There was nothing he could do to to ease it, and he couldn't even get up the strength to use his ice to numb the pain. No, he didn't have the chakra to do it. It didn't make any sense, because he hadn't used any of his chakra, and even if he had, he had such a large reserve that he couldn't use that much in one go, even considering his less than perfect chakra control.

With another jostle of his arm, the pain overwhelmed him. He had never once fainted in his life, but there was always a first for everything, and this was Jin's first time actually fainting instead of just losing consciousness from bloodloss.

With a last wave of pain, Jin drifted off into nothingness.

* * *

"Ahh, Takigawa-san, you can't go in there! Shiraishi-san can't have any visitors until he wakes up. He's in critical condition, and we can't risk his condition getting worse with visitors. Your room is this way anyway. Please come with me." The first thing Jin heard was a nurse speaking outside his room, sounding a little frantic.

"Oh, posh! He's a Shiraishi. He'll be just fine. Everyone in our clan is too resilient for their own good. Now, let me in. I won't take no for an answer. Besides, I visited him yesterday, and no one had a problem with it!" A creaky voice replied, and a moment later, a door opened.

Jin assumed he was in the hospital, but things were pretty fuzzy for him. Very slowly, he opened his eyes, only to close them again when he saw the sterile white walls of a hospital room. Once he'd prepared himself for how bright the room was, he opened his eyes again and slowly glanced over at the door. He was startled when he noticed the dull throbbing in his left arm and shoulder, a throb that went up even to his throat.

"No, you can't go in there!" The nurse pulled the attempted visitor away, and tried to bar her from entering the room.

"Ah, it's alright. She can come in. I don't mind." Jin called hoarsely, watching as the nurse froze in her tracks. The wrinkled old lady took her chance and barrelled past the nurse. She smiled at Jin, pushing up oversized glasses that made her eyes look like they took up more than half her face, and pushing her thick, black hair out of her face.

"Shiraishi-san, it's nice to see you awake. Inoue-san didn't want to let me in, but I knew it would be okay." She plopped herself down in a chair next to his bed, and leaned close to look at him.

The nurse sprinted down the hall, calling for the doctor. When she returned, the doctor was behind her, clipboard in hand and a permanent frown on his face. "Shiraishi-san, it's good that you're awake." He glanced at the old woman. "Takigawa-san, shouldn't you be in your own room right now? You know you're not supposed to leave your room without an escort. Never mind that right now."

The doctor returned his attention to Jin and began asking routine questions before moving on to more specific questions. "How bad is the pain in your arm? Can you feel anything?"

Jin grimaced. "Feels like it's on fire. I can feel just about everything." He replied, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again to stare at the doctor. "What happened to me?"

"Good, good. You should make a full recovery, so long as you rest properly. You were suffering from second degree burns and extreme chakra depletion, as well as...well, someone will be along later to try to figure that out. As for the pain, we can do something about that." The doctor marked something on his clipboard and turned to leave. "We'll be keeping you here for the next few days for observation and until someone has time and chakra to spare to speed up the healing process. If there's anything you need, let Inoue-san know, and she'll get it for you. Someone will be in to help change your bandages soon. Ah, and after you've eaten and rested up a bit more, perhaps you can take Takigawa-san out to the courtyard with Inoue-san. She'll be bothering you either way." After that, the doctor took his leave.

Inoue, the nurse, wrinkled her nose and went over to administer something to ease the pain. Jin reached out, wincing. "No, that's fine. I don't like dulling my senses, so you don't need to give me anything. I'd really rather you didn't."

Inoue let out a sigh. "Very well. If you need anything, or if Takigawa-san becomes too much of a nuisance, press this button, and I'll be in right away." She told Jin, gesturing to the little remote with a button attached to the hospital bed.

Jin narrowed his eyes, sensing her dislike for the old woman. "Forgive me, but if you're going to be rude to...Takigawa-hime, did you say? Well, if you're going to be rude to her, then I would like to request a different nurse. She hasn't done anything to bother me."

"Oh my, there's no need for that. I'm no princess, and you don't need to address me as one." Takigawa said quickly, reaching over and ruffling his hair with her wrinkly hand. "You can just call me Yui. Never mind Inoue-san. She's just jealous because she's not as cool as me yet." She cackled.

Inoue made a face, her face splotching red with anger. "Very well, then." She hissed and stormed out.

Jin couldn't help but laugh a little, and he turned his attention to Yui. "You're silly, Takigawa-hime. But, uh, why did you decide to visit me? I can't imagine who here would want to visit a shinobi of the Mist. Not that I'm not enjoying your company, but what would make a sweet old lady like you want to visit someone like me?"

"Pah, you must be on drugs if you think I'm sweet! I may be old, but I'm still feisty as ever!" Yui leapt to her feet, knocking over her chair in the process. She put her hands on her hips, stooped over as she peered at him.

"Either way, it's nice to meet you, Takigawa-hime." Jin smiled at her antics. "But really, why did you visit me? I'm nobody special."

Yui blinked and righted her chair. She sat down and blinked at him with her violet eyes from behind her glasses. "How many chances do you get to meet Mist shinobi? I wanted to study you." She wrinkled her already wrinkly nose, peering at him.

Before Jin had a chance to speak, a different nurse entered the room, presumably to change his bandages. "Shiraishi-san, Takigawa-san." She greeted, immediately setting to work. "Lean forward, please, Shiraishi-san. I'm going to need to be able to reach your back. I might as well change the bandages on your other wound while I'm at it, too." When Jin did as she asked, she began slowly unwrapping the bandages. They hadn't put a shirt on him, not wanting to put anymore pressure on the burns he had sustained. "Please sit still. Since you haven't had anything for the pain, this is going to hurt quite a bit. Takigawa-san, perhaps it would be better if you went to get something to eat while I'm doing this. You can come back later."

"Hell no! I want to watch, and you can't make me leave!" Yui crossed her arms and refused to move from her spot. "Besides, I can be here for moral support! You don't want me to leave, do you, Shiraishi-san?"

Jin laughed softly as both women turned their attention to him, awaiting his answer. "It's fine. I don't mind her being here." He replied.

"Very well, then…" The nurse began unwrapping all of the bandages, starting with the shoulder the snake had injured. She checked to make sure that it was healing properly, and that there was no sign of infection. "This is looking much better, Shiraishi-san. It's healing quickly. There's no sign of infection. It'll scar, but it could be much worse. I think that, as long as you're careful, you don't have to wear the sling anymore. Just try to keep your movement limited until the stitches come out."

Yui leaned forward, peering at Jin's wound, and at the old scar that went halfway down his spine and veered towards his hip. "My, for a shinobi of the Mist, you really don't have that many scars, do you? But you seem to be prone to injury."

The nurse smiled faintly, taking a moment to clean the wound before wrapping it back up carefully with fresh bandages. When she moved on to removing the bandages on his left arm, shoulder, and throat, he flinched. Second degree burns were incredibly painful. "Sit still, I know it hurts. Second degree burns are the most painful, but scarring should be minimal." She said kindly, setting aside the old bandages. She examined the burns with a small frown on her face.

Jin hesitated for a moment before slowly turning his attention to his arm. It definitely looked bad. His arm was burned in lighter and darker patches, as if the woman who had done this to him had held a flame against him for different lengths of time in each different area. That wasn't what concerned him, though.

It was the strange pattern that swirled up his arm. It looked like nothing more than a tattoo, and it didn't feel like any sort of chakra-inflicted wound. "...I don't have any tattoos." He whispered, staring at the pattern. Almost automatically, a thin layer of ice began to form around him, startling the nurse.

"Shiraishi-san, please relax. You shouldn't be using any chakra right now, with your reserves so low!" The nurse said quickly, frowning at him. "Please stop."

Jin blinked, shaking his head. "It doesn't take chakra to do something like this. It only takes chakra for me to use complicated or advanced techniques. It actually takes more chakra for me to control it…" He trailed off, forcing the ice to recede.

"Oh my, what a special talent." Yui didn't look surprised, as if she knew something more. Jin didn't seem to notice. "I'll bet you can do lots of things with that, can't you?"

Jin nodded slightly, slowly reaching up to his throat with his right arm, since the nurse hadn't put it back in the sling. He felt for the familiar chain he wore around his neck when he wasn't expecting to be doing any sort of fighting or anything else. He froze when he realized that it wasn't there. It wasn't the chain's disappearance that bothered him, it was the disappearance of what the chain _held_ that bothered, no, frightened him.

"...what happened to the chain I was wearing? I need it back. I need what was on it back." Jin turned his attention to the nurse slowly, trying not to show his panic. "I need the rings that were on it. They're engagement rings, both silver. Please, I need them back."

The nurse frowned curiously. "Let me finish bandaging up your arm, and then I'll go get your belongings. Please don't worry, I'm sure they're with the rest of your things." With that, she began spreading something across his burns, making him hiss in pain. When she had finished with that, she wrapped his burns with fresh bandages, being as gentle as she possibly could.

Jin let out a heavy sigh when she was done, watching her go to dispose of the old bandages and retrieve his belongings. He glanced over when Yui cleared her throat and frowned. "Ah, I'm sorry. Our conversation was interrupted before. I'm sorry that I have to repeat my question again, but why did you decide to visit me? Actually, you sort of answered that already, but there must be more than what you already told me." He smiled at her, but it was strained somewhat, and his gaze kept flicking towards the door.

"Oh, I just like visiting the new patients. They're always so interesting. I'm always stuck in this damned hospital, so it's nice to meet new people. I don't have anyone left to visit me here, either, so it gets rather lonely if I don't go out and say hello." Yui's eyes crinkled as she smiled at him gently.

"You don't have any family to visit you?" Jin frowned slightly. Even he had family, even if they never visited him in the hospital.

"Ahh, well, that's a complicated subject. My husband died many years ago. He was a shinobi, killed in action." Yui shook her head slightly. "My son...well, my son left the village years and years ago. I imagine that he's dead now." Her expression grew sorrowful. "I don't know if I have any grandchildren, and the rest of my clan went into hiding years ago."

Jin frowned a little. He couldn't imagine being that alone; he hadn't been for many years because Raizo and Hakaru had both been there.

"Anyway, that's enough about me. What about you? You're engaged? I'm surprised your fiancé isn't here now." Yui scooted her chair a few inches closer, leaning forward.

"Ahh...well...that…" Jin didn't know what to say. He didn't like talking about what had happened, but he had a feeling that Yui was going to pry it out of him sooner or later. Besides that, he felt as if she could be trusted. She had no one to gossip to. With a heavy sigh, he looked down at his lap. "He's dead. It's been almost three years now."

Yui frowned, seeming to regret asking. "Oh my, I'm so sorry." She reached over and put her hand on his gently. "I'm sorry for prying."

Jin shook his head, but was interrupted before he could speak by the nurse returning with his things. He leaned forward quickly, and tried to get up. He reluctantly sat down when the nurse glared at him, though, watching as she set the clothes he'd been wearing when he was brought in on the stand next to the bed.

"Here you are. They were with your things." The nurse dropped the chain with the two rings into his awaiting hand. "I checked to make sure there was no damage to them. Not a scratch."

Jin smiled brightly at her. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you." He clutched the rings in his hand, relieved to have them back, safe and sound.

A few moments later, Anko and Hinata poked their heads into his room. "Oh, good. He's awake." She stepped into the room and settled herself down on his bed, on his legs, while Hinata took the last chair.

The nurse nodded slightly at Jin and pursed her lips at the new visitors before turning and leaving. "If they start bothering you, Shiraishi-san, let me know and I'll throw them out. Your recovery is important."

Jin smiled at her. "Thank you, but I'll be fine. There's no need to worry." He turned his attention to Anko and Hinata. "What the hell happened to me? I don't remember anything. I just know that that woman attacked me and…" His eyes widened slightly as he remembered the flash of red in her eyes, and her parting words. "Someone needs to find Haruno-hime! Quickly! That woman is after her, too!"

Anko narrowed her eyes and quickly rose to her feet. "Hinata, stay here. I'm going to report this new information. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"She knows Orochimaru, but doesn't seem all that friendly with him. You saw her, I think. Her eyes, though...there's something weird about them. It looks like she has the Sharingan, but I don't think she's an Uchiha, and it looked...weird. It didn't look like Uchiha-sama's Sharingan. It looked like…" Jin trailed off, remembering the day Raizo had died. He remembered those eyes, even though their owner hadn't been responsible for Raizo's death. "They look like Uchiha Itachi's eyes!"

"What?!" Anko narrowed her eyes and spun around. She went for the door, not pausing once to glance back. Apparently the news he'd given her needed to be reported right away or something.

It didn't matter because a few moments after she left, someone else entered the room, someone who hadn't changed one bit since the last time he had seen here. "Tsunade-hime!" The surprise in Jin's voice was clear.

Tsunade's eyes widened slightly when she spotted Jin. "What the hell are you doing here, Shiraishi? Last I heard, you were still back in the Mist." She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. She glanced back at Kakashi, who had entered the room behind her, looking extremely exhausted. "Is this what Inoue meant when she told me there was an interesting patient waiting here for me?"

Kakashi shrugged and glanced at Jin. He didn't seem surprised that he was back in the hospital. "What happened this time?" He asked with a weary sigh.

"Ahh, I think someone put a hit out on me. I have to say, I don't think I've ever been this popular before. That's okay, though. There are certainly worse things that could happen. Oh, but someone needs to keep an eye on Haruno-hime. For whatever reason, the woman who attacked me is after her, too." Jin let out a sigh. "Hey, Tsunade-hime, you think you could do something about these really annoying injuries I got? I'd really like to get back to work."

Tsunade scowled at him. "Honestly, I should just let you heal naturally. You'll just end up right back here again." She rolled her eyes and went to his side. "Let me see."

"...which arm do you want to see first? I pretty much can't use either of them right now." Jin asked, frowning a little.

"You're an idiot." Tsunade hissed under her breath, undoing the bandages on his right shoulder. She examined the wound, eyes narrowed. "What the hell happened to you? Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised at this point. You haven't changed a bit." She put her hands over the wound, and they began to glow green with her healing chakra.

Jin smiled, forcing himself to relax. His chakra always rose in defense when someone else's chakra entered him to examine the severity of his injuries. "Neither have you. You're still as aggressive as ever. We should catch up sometime. A lot has happened since the last time I saw you, and you haven't been answering any of my letters for a few years."

"I've been busy." Tsunade said, working on healing his shoulder wound. "You really messed yourself up this time." She moved her hands away, the glow fading. "What's that in your hand?"

Glancing down at his closed hand, his expression saddened. He held up the chain he'd been clutching since the nurse had returned it to him. "Ah, well. They're just keepsakes, I suppose." The two rings swung back and forth slightly on the chain, and he slowly lowered his arm. "I'll tell you all about it later." He pretended not to notice Kakashi's and Hinata's curious expressions.

Tsunade didn't protest, instead moving on to his other arm. She slowly began removing the bandages, but her hands stilled when she saw Jin flinch. "...it must be bad if you're flinching like that." She commented, referring to his wounds. She removed the bandages, narrowing her eyes at the strange pattern going up his arm, but she didn't protest. "What the hell have you been doing? You look like you stuck your arm in a fire."

"Honestly, I have no idea. Weird stuff is going on." Jin closed his eyes for a moment, letting Tsunade heal his arm as best as she could. "How's Shizune-hime?"

"She's doing well." Tsunade replied, focused on healing the burns to the best of her ability. Her skill really was unparallelled by any other medic-nin.

Jin smiled as the pain faded, and he opened his eyes. "I'm glad. I'm glad you're both doing well." When Tsunade was done with him, he reached up and slid the chain around his neck, the rings resting just below where the collar of his kimono typically laid. "Thank you. Do you guys mind giving me a minute to get changed?"

Tsunade rose to her feet. "We'll catch up soon, but today may not be the best day to do so. I have things to take care of." With that, she turned and left the room. "I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding me. We also need to discuss why you're here." She left without waiting for an answer.

Jin waved as she left, and watched as the others filed out, even Yui. When they had left, he picked up his kimono and began getting dressed. His right shoulder still a bit stiff, but it was much better than before. With a bit of stretching and training, he would be back to normal. The only thing that concerned him, was the strange pattern on his left arm, that hadn't changed even a little when Tsunade had healed him. It didn't hurt, though, so he supposed that it wouldn't cause him any problems.

When he was done changing, he grabbed the rest of his things and left his room. He was glad that he wasn't going to need to stay at the hospital after all.

* * *

 _Pushing her long, black hair out of her face, Sayuri sat down on her bed, waiting for her older brothers and younger sister to show up. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at the glass mask in her hand, covered in dried blood. She wondered how things could have gone so wrong for her dear oldest brother._

" _Imouto?" Hisashi slipped into the room silently, glancing behind him to make sure that no one had seen him. He knew they needed to keep this a secret, knew that it would be bad if their father found out that they were all meeting, even if Sayuri was the only one who knew what this was about, being the one who had asked to speak with the rest of her siblings._

 _Seeing the tears on her face, Hisashi hurried to his little sister's side and wrapped his arms around her gently. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew that it was bad._

 _A moment later, someone else slipped into the room, and when the two siblings glanced over, they were relieved that it was just their baby sister, Emi. Silently, the younger girl closed the door and went to their side. She sat down next to them and waited quietly. They would have to wait a while for their eldest brother. He had been named as the Daimyo's heir after the tragedy that had occurred barely three days before, and thus was busy getting used to his new responsibilities._

 _The air was heavy, as if a storm were about to be unleashed upon them all at any moment. Things had changed drastically in the days since the tragedy, or maybe it was just that the shock of it had opened their eyes to the truth about their father._

 _The window opened quietly behind them, and Ikki dropped to the floor. He straightened up and closed the window behind him. "I don't have a lot of time. Soon enough, father will be looking for me for some reason or another." He spoke softly, walking around to look at them. His violet eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the tears on Sayuri's face, and the glass mask in her trembling hands._

 _Finally gathered together, Sayuri lifted her head. "I can't stay here any longer. I…" She lifted one hand to her face, and wiped her tears. "Father isn't the same anymore, and…" She dropped her hand to her gently swelling belly protectively. "Aniki is dead. He…"_

 _Ikki narrowed his eyes slightly, noticing where her hand rested. Something clicked in his mind. "Who is the father?" He asked gently, crouching in front of her. He took the mask from her other hand and set it aside. Then he gently took her hand in his own, squeezing it reassuringly. "It's not your fiance, is it?"_

 _Hisashi and Emi stayed quiet, though they must have been surprised to hear the news. Sayuri had only told one person before them, and now that person was dead. "I...he's a servant. I love him, but...I haven't been able to tell him yet. He went missing just...just after I found out. I heard some of the other servants talking about how he'd just disappeared."_

" _It'll be okay, imouto. We'll find him for you." Hisashi said softly, not realizing the real danger, what Sayuri was really worried about. "Everything will be okay." He looked over at Ikki desperately, hoping he would agree with him._

" _That's not the problem, though, is it, imouto?" Ikki asked softly, squeezing her hand once more. He had always been perceptive like his older brother, but unlike him, he didn't know what the right thing to do was. Kotaro had always known what the right thing to do was. He had seen a better future with Yoshihisa, and he had run straight for it. Even though they hadn't seen what Kotaro had, they knew that he must have believed in something better for their lives than the constant state of war they were in._

 _It was in that moment that he knew what he had to do._

" _I...I don't want to raise my children here. It's not safe." Sayuri squeezed her eyes shut tightly. "Aniki was going to help me. I told him before he left, and...and he promised that he would help me. But now he's gone...he's gone and father will kill my children like he had aniki killed!"_

" _Shh...imouto, I'm going to make this right. He's not going to harm you or your children." Ikki knew that if their father found out about Sayuri's pregnancy, found out that the father was nothing more than a servant, she would be punished swiftly and without mercy. It would be as bad a betrayal as Kotaro's had been. Now that Kotaro was gone, it was his responsibility to take care of his siblings. He glanced up at Hisashi and Emi. "Stay here with her. I'll be right back."_

 _Ikki stood up and returned to the window. He opened it and slipped out, climbing down the ivy that covered the palace walls to his own window. He slipped in through the open window, and rushed to his wardrobe. He flung the doors open and pushed his clothes aside, reaching into the very back, where a small bag was hidden behind a false wall panel._

 _He retrieved the bag and opened it briefly to make sure that its contents were untouched. When he was certain that nothing had been touched, he pulled the bag over his shoulder, and returned to the window. He climbed out and up the ivy again. He knew exactly what he must do, even though it would break his heart to do so._

 _Ikki slipped back in through the window and set the bag down on Sayuri's bed. He smiled gently at his younger siblings when they glanced back at him. Now that Kotaro was gone, it was his duty to protect his little brother and sisters. "Come on, we don't have much time." He pulled Sayuri and Emi to their feet carefully, and then retrieved a pair of shoes for each of them, and travelling cloaks._

 _Sayuri didn't question her older brother, seeing a determination in his eyes that she'd never seen before. She slowly pulled the travelling cloak up over herself, letting Ikki tie it together. Then she slipped into her shoes, resting her hand once more on her belly._

 _Ikki grabbed an obi from Sayuri's wardrobe and wrapped up the glass mask with it. Then he slid it into the bag, glancing at the door with a small frown. There was no one coming, since it was night, but they didn't have much time. He had to be back by dawn, or everything would come crashing down. "Come on." He nudged them over to the window. "Hisashi, you carry Emi, and I'll take Sayuri. Once you get down on the ground, wait for me."_

 _Hisashi obeyed without question, and crouched down for Emi to climb on his back. Once she was secured, he went out the window, climbing down slowly, so as to not make any noise. The shinobi guards patrolling the palace grounds would certainly stop them if they caught them. He and Ikki were both shinobi, and capable of escape, but Sayuri was pregnant, and Emi hadn't yet begun her training._

 _Emi gripped Hisashi tightly, pushing her face against his back. As scared as she was, she didn't make a sound. It wasn't long before they reached the ground, but Hisashi did not put Emi down. He knew what Ikki was planning now, at least part of what he was planning._

 _Ikki picked Sayuri up with one arm, and made her hold on tightly. Then he hurriedly left through the window, climbing down without much trouble. Once on the ground, he put his fingers to his lips to signal silence, and sprinted off towards the outer walls._

 _It was easy getting out. The shinobi guards weren't looking for people trying to leave, only those trying to enter, and so they didn't notice the Daimyo's children making their escape. The four fled, disappearing into the misty trees without being spotted._

 _There was a small port village to the east of the palace, and since Ikki and Hisashi were both carrying their sisters, they made good time. The trip only took a few hours, and when they reached the village, the moon was high in the sky. That didn't concern Ikki; there were always ships leaving port, even in the middle of the night._

 _Ikki set Sayuri down on her feet, and took her hand. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright soon." He reassured, glancing back at Hisashi, who had set Emi down gently. "Come on, it's this way." He pulled them along behind him, heading for the docks, where a large ship was preparing to depart._

" _Wait, what are we doing, aniki? Where are we going?" Hisashi asked as he followed his older brother quickly, pulling Emi along by her hand._

" _I'm getting you all out of here. Father...father is broken, and I can't let him harm Sayuri-chan, like he did with...with Kotaro." Ikki shook his head slightly, pushing aside his grief for his older brother. "Come on, otouto, imouto." He glanced back and smiled at them reassuringly._

 _He stopped when they reached the spot where the ship's crew was loading freight. He let go of Sayuri's hand and approached the captain, who was overseeing the work._

" _What can I do for ya?" The captain asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. His gaze shifted from Ikki to his younger siblings, and then back to Ikki._

" _My little brother and sisters need safe passage across the sea. I can pay you whatever you want. It's important." Ikki spoke softly, glancing back at his siblings for a moment. "Please."_

 _The captain shifted his gaze towards Ikki's little siblings, noting where the oldest girl had her hand placed over her stomach, and the dried tears on her face. He also noted the youngest girl's absolute silence, and the younger boy's grief. "How old are they?" He asked softly._

" _Hisashi is twenty-one. Sayuri is eighteen, and Emi is seven." Ikki replied softly, following his gaze. "Please help them."_

 _The captain hesitated for a moment, his hesitation fading. "I'll take them across, no charge." He let out a small sigh. "I'll give you a moment alone with them, but we will be departing shortly."_

 _Ikki nodded slightly, turning as the captain boarded his ship. He gestured for his siblings to come closer, and wrapped his arms around them in a hug. "Otouto, I need you to do something for me, okay? I need you to take care of Sayuri-chan and Emi-chan. I need you to protect them for me. Promise me that you will."_

 _Hisashi frowned slightly, but didn't protest. "I will. I promise that I'll keep them safe. We'll be okay." He pulled away from his brother, allowing him to speak with Sayuri and Emi next._

" _Come with us." Sayuri begged. "I can't bear to lose you, too." She couldn't stop the tears from slipping down her face. "Please come with us. We can find somewhere safe together."_

 _Ikki shook his head slowly. "I can't. I have to stay behind. Without Kotaro, I'm the one who will take father's place when he's gone. Once I have, I'll change things so that you can all come back home, and so that nothing like this or what happened to Kotaro happens ever again. It'll be okay, imouto, I promise." He kissed her forehead gently, and wiped her tears away._

 _Sayuri said nothing more, instead hugging her brother tightly, and then slipping out of his grasp to join Hisashi, while their older brother said goodbye to Emi._

" _Emi-chan, I need you to be brave, okay? I know you're sad, and I know you're scared, but everything will be okay now. You'll be safe. Can I ask you to do one thing for me, since I can't be there to do it?" Ikki tucked her long hair behind her ear and out of her face. When she nodded, he smiled gently. "Take care of Sayuri-chan. She needs you."_

" _I will." Emi croaked, speaking for the first time since Kotaro's death._

" _Thank you." Ikki pulled her into a gentle hug, and kissed her forehead gently. His heart was breaking, but he wouldn't let it show in front of them._

 _He let go of Emi and pulled her along over to their other siblings. "As of today, you are no longer a part of the Yuki clan. You are no longer the children of the Land of Water's Daimyo. You are the sole survivors of the Shiraishi clan now, fleeing from the civil war." He gave Hisashi the bag that held the glass mask. "This is everything I have to give you." He'd put his entire savings in the bag with the mask._

 _Ikki stared at his siblings for a moment. "I love you all, and one day we'll be together again. I promise. I'll make sure of it." He knew deep in his heart that they would never meet again in their lifetimes, that this was their final goodbye. "Go."_

 _Hesitating for only a moment, Hisashi nodded and his sisters' hands, guiding them on board. "Goodbye."_

 _Ikki smiled gently at them, and turned away to hide his tears. And then he sprinted off into the night, returning to the palace by himself with a shattered heart._

 _Three weeks later, after the birth of the Daimyo's now youngest child, Ikki was found murdered in the garden._

* * *

Jin yawned, stretching his legs out a bit. He smiled when Tsunade entered her office, and spun around in her chair. "Tsunade-hime, you should ditch your work for the day. You promised we would catch up, and it's been two weeks since you said that."

"I've been busy, Shiraishi." Tsunade snapped bad-temperedly. "Taking over this position hasn't exactly been a walk in the park, you know. Why the hell are you so whiny anyway?"

"Ahh...well, it's more that I want your opinion on something. Not that it will change my decision or anything, but I want to know what you think. It's important, and I don't really have anyone else left to ask for their opinion." Jin let out a small sigh and spun around in her chair again. "You're like an aunt to me, and I trust you and what you have to say. Even if you're a drunk and a terrible gambler." He leapt out of the chair when Tsunade swung her fist at him.

"You brat…" She grumbled, but couldn't really work up any anger towards him. "Fine, then. Let's go." She spun on her heel and stalked right back out of her office, not bothering to make sure Jin was following her.

Jin followed her quickly, smiling. "You should know better than to try and hit _me._ I've had plenty of practice dodging fists, though I suppose that with your strength, you would do a hell of a lot more damage than most people."

Tsunade glanced back at that comment. "Speaking of that, you're not dealing with that anymore now, are you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I made my warning clear."

"Ahh, well…" Jin trailed off, not entirely sure how to answer her. Normally, he would just lie, but Tsunade had figured out what his tell was years ago. "Everything is fine right now." He answered finally. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth.

"Hm…" Tsunade said nothing more as she made her way towards a bar she had often frequented before she had left the village. She went right in, ordering her usual sake and plopping down in a booth in an empty corner.

Jin chose the spot that was in the very corner, sliding all the way over and smiling across the table at Tsunade. He didn't like having his back facing anything but the wall, so that no one could come up behind him.

"So, what did you want my opinion on?" The new Hokage leaned back in her seat, glancing over as the bartender brought over her drink with a respectful bow of his head. "No one will overhear us here, since it's so loud."

"Let's catch up a bit before we get to that topic, alright? I'd like to enjoy your company a bit before you try to beat me senseless." Jin smiled at her, tapping his fingers nervously on the table. "I imagine that you've been up to the same things as usual, huh? Drinking and gambling? Honestly, I don't think you'll ever change in that respect."

Tsunade snorted, and crossed her arms. "I suppose I have been doing the same things as usual. What have you been doing? I haven't seen you for years, and I stopped getting your letters a while back. Did Chika get tired of being a messenger? She always plopped over into Shizune's lap when she delivered your letters."

"Nah, she's just dramatic. I'm not sure why you didn't get my letters, though. Granted, there was a year when I didn't send any, but other than that, I think I was pretty good about writing to you." He leaned forward over the table, and the chain holding the engagement rings slipped out over the collar of his kimono.

"Ah, that's right," Tsunade paused, staring at the rings, "what's with those? If you were still engaged, you wouldn't be wearing those around your neck like that, would you?"

Jin leaned back and his smile faltered. He took the chain off from around his neck and set it on the table between them. "I don't think you ever met him, but uh...well, perhaps I should begin from after you left. I think I was about eight or nine? Well, a few weeks after you left, I was partnered up with someone I had previously faced in the last civil war we had, before you showed up Kaguya Raizo. We hated each other. Man, it was ridiculous in the beginning. Yagura-sama thought that with our unique kekkei genkai, we would compliment each other in battle."

"Kaguya? That's that clan that can manipulate their skeletal structure, right?" Tsunade leaned forward, suddenly interested. She'd heard of the Kaguya clan on her travels, of how different they were compared with most other people, and how difficult it was to treat them for injury or illness sometimes.

"Yeah, but only a few of the members of that clan were born with that ability. Raizo left when he had the chance. They'd been keeping him locked up until they wanted to use him in battle." Jin let out a small sigh. "Anyway, we were partnered up because Yagura-sama believed that together we would be unstoppable. Each of our kekkei genkai have drawbacks, though I'm not going to let you in on what those are."

Tsunade knocked back her sake, listening intently.

"Our personalities were different enough that we had trouble getting along at first." Jin smiled down at the engagement rings affectionately. "I think it was when Raizo found out what I had to do just to survive that we stopped hating each other so much. We had a hard time seeing things from each other's perspectives at first. I mean, we were kids. Raizo witnessed firsthand my...uh, courtesan duties, when my sensei, who had been one of the worst clients I've ever had, forced me into…" Jin trailed off, clenching his fists for a moment. He looked up at Tsunade, who looked like she wanted to commit murder, and realized that he hadn't ever told her that his teacher, someone who was supposed to guide and teach him, was one of his many abusers.

"He did _what_ to you?" She growled, slamming her cup down on the table. The cup shattered, and the table cracked. Several heads turned in their direction, having heard the table crack. The bartender hurried over and cleaned up the broken glass, disappearing once he was done.

"Tsunade-hime, it doesn't matter now. He's long dead, and he stopped long before that. You see, even though Raizo didn't really like me all that much then, he knew that what was happening to me was wrong. He stopped him. Raizo protected me, and I suppose that's sort of when we became friends." Jin reached over and took her hand in his. "Don't blame yourself for not seeing it. He was good at hiding his sickness. After Raizo stepped in, he never touched me again."

Tsunade squeezed his hand with brute strength, her face contorting with rage. "It doesn't matter now?! You were a child! How are you okay with that?!"

Jin winced, but didn't try to remove his hand from hers. "I'm not okay with it, Tsunade-hime, but I've _accepted_ it. I know that it wasn't my fault, that it was him that was to blame. But it's the reason that I fight so hard to protect those who can't protect themselves. Because of that, I won't let any other child suffer the same fate I did, if I can help it. Please understand, Tsunade-hime. I'm okay. There's no reason to worry about me anymore. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself now. But...I appreciate your concern. It's nice to know that people care." He gave her a small smile. "Now, if you wouldn't mind letting go of my hand, I'll keep telling you about...well, about those rings."

Though she didn't want to let the issue go, Tsunade did. Slowly, she released his hand and yelled for thee bartender to get her more sake. She had a feeling she was going to need it.

"Thank you." Jin flexed his hand, wincing a little. "Anyway, after that, we were...friends, I suppose. I certainly liked him a lot more after that. I think that was when we hit a turning point in our relationship, too. I trusted him after that, and well, our teamwork ended up getting a lot better. We turned out exactly like Yagura-sama had wanted us to, in the end. We learned to predict what the other was going to do in a split second. I guess you could say we knew each other so well that it would have been impossible to have either of us team up with someone else. We were promoted to jounin together, and promoted to...something I can't speak about, and then finally we were promoted to hunter nin status." He didn't yet tell her about Hakaru, wanting to have her meet him first.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, watching him quietly now that she had calmed down somewhat. She nodded for him to continue.

"We were actually given ridiculous nicknames because of how well we worked together, and how we never worked with anyone else. I'm not going to tell you what they were, though. Typically, those nicknames of ours are associated with a lot of bad things. Anyway, it was just after I turned eighteen that Raizo made it clear how he felt. After I got back from a solo mission, he visited me at home. I noticed, of course, that he was acting strange. I'm sure that he noticed I was acting strangely with him, too. I really, really loved him. Anyway, he kissed me, and told me how he felt. He's the only one who's ever treated me so gently…" Jin smiled sadly, picking up the two rings, and fidgeting with them. "It was barely a year later that we were engaged. I…"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, and reached over to take his hand, just as he had taken hers to soothe her anger.

"It was a few weeks before we were supposed to get married. We fought over something ridiculously stupid. We...we fought over who we were inviting. I wanted to invite my parents, even after all that they've done to me, and he was completely against it. That same day, we were called in by Mizukage-sama for a mission. As hunter nin, we hunt and kill those of our own village that have chosen to become criminals. We dispose of their bodies so that our village secrets can never get out. Anyway, we were sent to kill Hoshigaki Kisame, who had joined Akatsuki by that point, and destroy his body. It...didn't go well." Jin closed his eyes, trying to block out the memories that were threatening to overwhelm him. "He took a blow that was meant to end my life. He died in my arms, and there was nothing I could do. I took his body back home, even though we're supposed to immediately destroy the bodies of any of our teammates that die in battle."

Tsunade understood how he felt well, her thoughts immediately turning to Dan. She let out a sigh and shoved the sake the bartender had brought over towards Jin. "You need this more than I do right now."

Jin couldn't help but laugh, despite the pain in his heart. "Tsunade-hime, I don't drink. I worry too much about ending up like my parents. Anyway, that's not why I asked you to talk with me. I...want your opinion on something. I mean, I've already made up my mind about it, but...it would still be nice to hear your thoughts."

"Whatever decision you made, it's probably stupid." Tsunade said bluntly. "I see that look in your eye and it reminds me of that idiot Naruto."

"My, I haven't even told you what it was yet, and you're comparing me to Uzumaki-sama? Did he tell you that he convinced Haruno-hime and Uchiha-sama that I was a vampire, and then proceeded to try to prove it?" Jin smiled at her, feeling somewhat lighter. It was nice talking like this, and it felt a little better to finally share the worst moments of his life with someone. "I am not, by the way, a vampire. I don't know where the hell he got that idea from in the first place."

Tsunade smirked and shook her head. "He might be an idiot, but he's a good person, I think. But now it seems like you're stalling. Spit it out already."

"You knew that Yagura-sama was a jinchuuriki, right?" Jin's expression grew serious, and he hesitated for a moment. "Shortly after it was sealed within him, he took a liking to me. I don't know why he decided on me of all people, but he asked me a question. He asked me if I would become the jinchuuriki for the three-tails after his death. He seemed to think that I had some great control over myself, but ah, I have poor chakra control, so I don't know what he meant by that. Anyway, after his death, the three-tailed beast went missing." He stopped, frowning slightly.

Tsunade glanced around quickly to make sure that no one was paying attention to their conversation. "What the hell were you thinking?! You're a jinchuuriki now?! I didn't see a seal…"

Jin shook his head quickly. "No, no. I'm not a jinchuuriki right now. But Mizukage-sama approached me recently, asking if I would become a jinchuuriki. I think Yagura-sama mentioned something to someone, and she found out that way. But, I would like to know your thoughts on the matter. I have time to spare, since the three-tails hasn't been located yet."

"You're right, I do want to beat you senseless. I think it would be incredibly stupid if you became a jinchuuriki! Have you seen how poorly they're treated?! And how would you control it?! Not to mention the fact that Kiri has, in the past, used the three-tails in an attempt to destroy Konoha. It failed, but…"

"I opposed that idea! I tried to stop them from sealing it in that poor girl! I may have been raised with cruelty, but even I have my limits. I would never let them use me as a weapon like they did with her. I tried to help her escape before they sealed it in her, but there wasn't anything I could do. I'm considering accepting Mizukage-sama's proposal so that no one has to be used like that again! I can sure as hell guarantee that I won't let them do something so despicable. I am willing to sacrifice any happiness and any chance of being treated well, if it means that no one ends up sharing her fate." Jin leaned across the table, narrowing his eyes.

"You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders like that! You want to protect every child, but there's no way that's possible! You want to become a jinchuuriki so that no one else has to suffer! You can't do it all!" Tsunade snapped at him.

Jin got to his feet. "You're right. There's no way that I can do it all. It's not realistic. But I'm going to do my best. I will take on the burdens that no one else wants, even if it costs me every last shred of my soul, every last shred of happiness I may achieve because I don't matter. I mean nothing. I have lived my life suffering. Suffering for the rest of it is fine if it means that others have a chance at happiness. Tsunade-hime, I told you before that your opinion would not change my decision, and it hasn't. I've decided that when the three-tailed beast is located, I will become its host."

Without another word, he spun on his heel and made his way out of the bar, in a bad mood.

* * *

 **Author's Note: This is a longer than usual chapter because I'm not gonna have much of a chance to do any writing this weekend, so it might be a little bit of a longer wait. It totally depends on how busy I get. Anyway, thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing! It makes me really happy to see your guys' reviews! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was really dark, but it's certainly not going to be the darkest chapter, which reminds me. Remnants is rated M because it will eventually get violently graphic, more so than it has already. Also, this chapter is extremely important, and I wonder how many of you guys are picking up on the little hints and foreshadowing. _Heh heh._**

 **To sarahgri99: I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **To Trisana: I'm so glad that it reads smoother now, and that was exactly what I was going for, as far as building up their relationship! The story that Jin told Kakashi is actually super important, and I'm glad you liked it! Maybe it's foreshadowing something, and maybe it's not, hehe, I'm not gonna tell. But even though it may be foreshadowing something in the future, it's probably not what you would expect for it to be foreshadowing. Man, I have so many great things planned. I'm glad you're picking up on the hints and stuff! They're important, so I hope you keep picking up on them. I'm absolutely certain that there are readers that don't like the prostitution/courtesan/seduction aspect, but it's not something that's covered a lot in fanfiction, and when it is, it's almost always female characters that are subjected to it, and I thought it would be interesting to have a character that wasn't female in that position. Thank you so much for being such a faithful reviewer! I really love reading your reviews, and seeing them makes me motivated to try to churn out chapters faster than normal (this week has been ridiculously productive). And, once again, touching on the foreshadowing, all I can say is that you're definitely going to be in for a surprise when shit hits the fan, because shit is most certainly going to hit the fan! I already have the majority of the story planned out, including the ending, so it's just a matter of getting it all down on paper. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!**

 **Thank all of you for reading!**


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

 _Seeing that Jin had left, Jiraiya soon took his empty seat across from Tsunade, who seemed lost in thought. He called the bartender over, and asked him to bring more sake for Tsunade before she could call for it herself. He'd expected to find Tsunade there, but he hadn't expected her to be so friendly with Jin._

 _After a few moments, Tsunade shook her head and let out a heavy sigh. She turned to Jiraiya and raised a inquiring eyebrow. She already knew that he had seen her speaking with Jin, and was waiting for the questions to flood from him. After all, they were both aware of Jin's parentage to a point._

" _Ask your damned questions already. I know you have them." Tsunade snapped, snatching the bottle of sake from the bartender and waving him away impatiently. She narrowed her golden brown eyes in a fierce glare as she waited for her childhood friend and teammate to speak._

 _Jiraiya studied her, choosing his words carefully before speaking. "He's a dead ringer for Rikichi, isn't he?" He paused, watching as Tsunade took a swig from the sake bottle. "It's like going back in time. He looks just like he did then. There's no chance that it's a coincidence that they look so alike, is there?"_

 _Tsunade glanced down at the cracked table, her eyes narrowed. "It's not a coincidence. He's Rikichi's kid, but he doesn't know anything about it. He never met his father, and his mother…" Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the thought of the cruel woman. "His mother hasn't told him anything, but I've heard her mention that she has a few boxes of Rikichi's things. She doesn't know anything, though that's not surprising. She's not from any prominent clan, and that whole incident was kept hush-hush. I doubt many people now know about it, except the survivors, and those old enough to remember." She shook her head and took another long swig._

" _Just because he doesn't know who his father was, except in name, doesn't mean that he won't end up just like him. All of Rikichi's children, however many he may have had, all have his bad blood. I don't understand why he was even allowed into the village in the first place. He's a danger, especially since he came from Kiri." Jiraiya glanced out the window and watched the sun begin to set._

" _He's not like his father, Jiraiya. Rikichi was vain and arrogant, and selfish. Jin...well, he's trying to give every last piece of his soul away, it seems. He's…" Tsunade paused, searching for the right word, "he's the complete opposite of Rikichi. Perhaps you should get to know him before you pass judgement. He may have Rikichi's blood, but he also has his grandmother's, Takigawa-san's, blood. She's a kind woman, and it's not her fault that her son turned into a child-killer." She stiffened slightly, remembering the tragedy that Shiraishi Rikichi had been responsible for. "She hunted for him just as fiercely as the rest of us did, and he nearly killed her for it. Besides, it's not who our parents are that define us. Rikichi had the kindest parents you could ask for, and yet, he murdered an entire class of academy students, and their teacher. Jin grew up in a broken home, with an abusive family, and yet somehow he's still kind. Stupidly kind."_

 _Jiraiya shook his head slightly. "I don't know. I don't think it's safe to trust him."_

* * *

Jin kicked a pebble down the street, grumbling under his breath. He wasn't angry, not really. Just...frustrated, and said frustration made him act a bit like a little kid. He was pouting and grumbling, and kicking things, looking as if he were having a minor temper tantrum.

"What's the matter, Jin-san? Temper tantrum?" Kakashi asked from behind him, barely masking the laughter in his voice. He came up alongside him, glancing over to watch his face.

"Nyeh, I'm not having a temper tantrum." The way he puffed his cheeks out said otherwise. At least he was relatively manageable when he was acting like this. "I'm just...eh, I don't really wanna talk about it, not that I'm technically allowed to anyway." He wasn't even supposed to have told Tsunade about what he'd been asked to do, and his decision, but he'd needed her opinion. He shrugged. "What are you up to?"

"Ah, well, I'm just avoiding Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata. They're trying to see what's under my mask." Kakashi replied without skipping a beat. He figured it would be better not to question Jin, especially if he wasn't supposed to say anything about it. He understood. It wasn't his business, anyway.

Jin laughed, crossing his arms. "You need some help hiding from them? I'm sure we could find somewhere to hide, where they won't find you." He asked, smiling at him a little now.

"I suppose. It gets rather tiring. They're persistent." He smiled beneath his mask and glanced around.

"Let's go, then!" Jin grabbed Kakashi by his wrist, and broke into a run. Kakashi had no trouble keeping up with him, and didn't question where they were going. He was rather surprised, however, when Jin dragged him back to his own apartment. He was certain that at least one of the genin would be there waiting to ambush him.

Jin fished the key out of Kakashi's pocket, apparently not realizing that it wasn't normal to reach into other people's pockets to get what they needed. Quickly, he unlocked the door, and pulled Kakashi inside, closing the door behind them and locking it. He kept the lights off, knowing that it would tip off the genin. "Come on, this way." He whispered, leading him down the hallway.

Kakashi followed quietly, narrowing his eyes slightly. He could hear someone entering through his window in his bedroom and, not wanting to be caught, Kakashi shoved Jin into the one place close enough and big enough for the both of them to hide in, and squeezed in behind him, sliding the closet door silently.

It was rather squished in the hall closet with them both in there, and Jin was pressed right up against the wall. The both of them were pressed close enough together to hear the other breathe.

Kakashi stayed silent, hoping that whichever genin had come in through his window would get bored and search for him elsewhere. However, it wasn't long before he noticed something strange. Behind him, he could feel that Jin had begun to tremble, and could hear that his breaths had grown ragged and raspy. Carefully, so as not to make any noise, he shifted around to face Jin. His violet eyes, barely visible with the faint light coming in from the crack in the closet door, were wide with terror. It was different from the time he'd talked to him about taking his students into danger without telling him. "Jin-san?" He whispered.

Jin didn't reply. Rather, he couldn't. He couldn't hear Kakashi over the sound of his pounding heartbeat and ragged breaths. He couldn't even move, paralyzed by his terror. Memories flooded his mind, terrible, haunting memories.

" _No! No! I'm sorry! Please don't put me in there!" Jin sobbed, struggling as his stepfather dragged him towards the empty closet reserved for punishing Jin. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" At barely seven years old, he was still no match for his stepfather's strength, and was easily stuffed into the closet._

 _The door slammed in his face, and was sealed shut with chakra so that he couldn't escape. Frantically, Jin pounded on the closet door, tears streaming down his face. "Let me out! Please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I promise I'll give you more money next time! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"_

"Jin-san!" Kakashi said more loudly, shaking him gently. "Calm down! You're going to pass out if you keep hyperventilating." He could tell that Jin couldn't hear him, though, by the way he didn't blink, and his eyes looked unfocused, and he seemed unaware of the silent tears tracking down his face. He didn't know what was happening, but he knew that whatever it was, it was bad.

Kakashi shifted around again, not caring about being caught by his students and Hinata anymore. He wiggled until he was facing the door, and tried sliding it open. It wouldn't budge, even an inch. He glanced back at Jin, narrowing his eyes. He didn't know how to snap him out of it, but he couldn't have him passing out in the closet, when he couldn't yet get the door open.

Jin, lost in the terror of his own memories, still couldn't hear Kakashi.

 _Four days had passed. Three long, seemingly eternal days. Jin sat quietly, wedged into the corner of the closet. He had been put in here before, but never as long as this. Vacantly, he stared at the closet door, trapped in the darkness._

 _He had stopped screaming to be let out after the first day. He'd stopped crying after the second day, and after the third day, he had resigned himself to his fate. He was going to be kept in this dark, dark closet until he died._

 _When the door opened, he was so out of it that he didn't notice at first. But when he did realize it, he scrambled to his feet in attempt to get out as fast as he could, only to be shoved back inside. The door slammed in his face again._

" _No! Please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please! Please! I'm sorry! Please let me out!" Jin began sobbing again, clawing at the door so hard that he tore and bloodied his nails. "Please!" He couldn't help the desolate feeling that rose up in his chest because his hope had been so cruelly dashed. "I'm sorry!"_

Kakashi took it as a bad sign that Jin had started mumbling panicked 'I'm sorry's' under his breath. "Jin!" Nothing he said seemed to be getting through to him, and he wasn't sure what to do. He'd never seen anyone react like this before...wait, hadn't he himself gotten like this when he had been younger, after Rin's death? "Jin!"

Slapping him to snap him out of it probably wouldn't be a good idea. He remembered how shifty Jin had gotten when he had thought that he was angry with him. Hitting him would definitely make this worse. He needed Jin to calm down enough that he wouldn't pass out while he tried to pry the door open again.

He didn't really have many options, and as quickly as his mind raced, he couldn't think of any way until he remembered how he'd calmed Jin down the last time. Reassurance and gentleness. While gentleness wasn't something that he excelled in, he figured that he should at least try.

"Jin." Kakashi put his hands on his cheeks, forcing him to look at him, even though it was clear that Jin was not seeing what was in front of him. They were so close that their foreheads nearly touched. "Jin, listen to me. It's okay. You're okay." His words didn't seem to be doing any good yet, but he didn't want to give up so soon. Jin looked like a scared child, completely unable to hide his terror, and as Kakashi kept his hands on Jin's cheeks, he could feel tears tracking down his face.

Jin didn't react, locked into his nightmarish memories, until he felt the warm, gentle hands on his face. It wasn't enough to drag him out of it, though.

 _Another day had passed, and Jin stared vacantly at the bloody closet door. The solitary silence deafened him, broke him. He wasn't sure how much longer he could survive this. Hunger clawed at his stomach, and his mouth was parched._

 _He had lost all hope that he would be freed. He was resigned with his fate. He was certain that he was going to die in here, and in a way, it would be better that way. At least in death, he wouldn't have to be subjected to the empty solitude his stepfather was tormenting him with._

 _All the pain and sadness would be gone. The fear. He'd never have to be stuck in such a small, dark space again. And he would see Kaoru again. His poor, sweet, dead brother. They would be reunited again, and then Jin could apologize._

Faintly, Jin could hear someone calling out to him, trying to bring him back from the brink of his terror. He could barely find the strength to listen to what they were saying because of his terror. He was beginning to feel lightheaded, and he didn't know why. The voice grew louder until he could faintly recognize who it belonged to, and what they were saying.

"Jin, listen to me. Listen to my voice. It's okay. You're not alone. You have nothing to apologize for. Jin, look at me." Jin could just barely make out what they were saying over the roaring in his ears. Very slowly, he shifted his gaze up and focused on the one eye he could see.

Jin didn't say anything in response to what Kakashi was telling him, focused on what he could see of his face, as if it were anchoring him to the present. Then, unable to help himself, he latched onto Kakashi's flak jacket.

"It's okay. We'll be out of here in a minute. You need to calm down for a minute, though. Slow your breathing, and I'll get the door open. I don't want you passing out in here." Kakashi was rather taken aback when Jin latched onto him, since he hadn't ever really been much for touching for as long as he'd been in Konoha. Still, he kept his hands on his face, hoping that it would keep Jin's attention on him until he had calmed down.

"I'm sorry…" Jin whispered, still not completely out of it. He tightened his grip on Kakashi, and took a deep, shuddering breath. It didn't help his breathing all that much, and his trembling only grew worse.

Kakashi shook his head slightly. "It's okay. You have nothing to apologize for. You've done nothing wrong." Very gently, he wiped away his tears with his thumb. "Focus on me. You're okay. Everything is okay." He hoped that he was getting through to him. He wouldn't know what else to try, if this didn't work.

Jin blinked slowly, feeling dizzy. He leaned against Kakashi, closing his eyes. He could faintly hear the rhythmic thump of Kakashi's heartbeat now, and that more than anything, began to soothe him, helped along by Kakashi's surprisingly gentle voice, and his gentle hands on his face. Slowly, his breathing began to even out, and his heart rate began to slow.

Sensing that Jin was beginning to recover a little, Kakashi reached over and tried to slide the door open. This time, it opened without a problem, baffling him. It didn't make sense, but he couldn't really dwell on that now with Jin the way he was.

Jin didn't let go of Kakashi as he was gently pulled out of the closet with him. There were light footsteps, and Hinata poked her head around the corner.

"O-oh! When did you g-get here?" She asked hesitantly. "N-Naruto-kun told me to w-wait here for you to return…" She didn't blush like she normally did whenever she mentioned or heard Naruto's name. It was odd, and if Kakashi hadn't been so distracted with Jin, and if Jin hadn't been so out of it, they would have noticed immediately that the way she carried herself was all wrong. She was walking as if she were a seasoned kunoichi who was confident in her abilities, and while Hinata had taken great strides since the Chuunin Exams, she'd still always had that timidness. Something was off about her, but both of them were too distracted to see it.

Jin didn't reply, instead letting Kakashi guide him to the couch. He sat down when directed, and pulled his knees to his chest. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Sorry about that. I'm fine now." He wasn't, not really. He was just regaining his composure enough to try to hide how much it was really affecting him. "I suppose I owe you an explanation, though, don't I?"

Kakashi shook his head slightly, and glanced at Hinata, who seemed to realize that she should probably leave. Jin probably didn't want to be seen like this. "No, you don't," He hesitated, watching as Hinata left, "but if you do want to explain, I'll listen."

"Thank you, Hatake-sama. I'll explain in the morning, if that's okay. I'm...I'm tired now." Jin burrowed his face in his arms. "But please don't go. I don't really want to be alone right now."

Kakashi just nodded slightly and sat down on the other end of the couch. He retrieved his favorite orange book from his pocket, and began reading in silence.

* * *

" _You've been useful, little Hyuuga. Perhaps I'll keep you for a while longer. Are you enjoying the genjutsu I place on you every time I leave? I must admit, that I do rather enjoy using the Kurama Clan's kekkei genkai. Not many in that clan are blessed with such a powerful talent for genjutsu, and I was lucky enough to find one. Never mind that, though." Aiko ran a hand through her hair, smirking._

 _Hinata sat opposite of her on the cold, hard ground, the tape on her mouth keeping her from speaking. She stared at the frightening woman before her with one eye, the other swollen shut by the second degree and third degree burns splotching the right side of her face. A strange black pattern swirled over her burned flesh, stopping at the point where the burns had stopped._

" _Ah, yes, I suppose that I should remove that tape now." Aiko rose to her feet, and approached the girl. She crouched down next to her, and none too gently ripped the tape off her mouth. "Yes, that's right, scream. No one can hear you here, so it's perfectly fine." She cooed as Hinata shrieked, the tape tearing at her burned flesh. "Yes, yes, I'll keep you. You may not be pretty anymore, but you certainly are entertaining. How about I put you back in that genjutsu that you love so much?"_

 _Hinata's eye widened a fraction, and she stiffened. She refused to answer, though, knowing that, inevitably, the cruel woman would put her back in the genjutsu whether or not she answered. She dreaded having it cast over her again. It was so absolute, so real, that every time she was put under it, she ended up with several more wounds afterwards than she'd had before. It was always the same genjutsu, her affections played against her in the cruelest of ways._

" _Hm…" Aiko stared in Hinata's open eye. Then she slapped her across the burned side of her face, revelling in the way her face contorted in pain._

 _Hinata did not scream, did not even let a whimper escape her lips. She remembered Naruto's determination, and even though he was her tormentor in the genjutsu Aiko cast, and didn't want to disappoint him. She would not let this woman have the satisfaction of watching her squirm. With great effort, she narrowed her one open eye and spat in Aiko's face in a brave act of defiance._

 _Aiko wiped her face slowly, staring at Hinata like a lioness would stare at her prey. "My, my, you've become rather brave haven't you? It's like a switch went off. What happened? Are you ready to die?" She smirked, and rose to her feet. "Let's play a game." She slammed a kunai into the ground just in front of Hinata and turned to leave. "If you can escape, I'll let you go without a fight. If not...well, you'll see. I'll be back sometime soon. Good luck." With that, Aiko left the room, locking the door behind her._

 _Mind scrambling for any ideas, Hinata craned her neck forward to see if she could grip the kunai in her mouth. Her hands were chained behind her back with chakra binding cuffs, but maybe she could find a weak link and break them with the kunai. She'd been working at trying to free herself, but now she actually had something she could use to aid in her escape._

 _Hinata winced as the week old burns on her throat stretched, the pain lancing through her like fire. She didn't want to be anywhere near here when Aiko came back._

 _It was a bad situation she had gotten herself into. Well, if she hadn't witnessed Aiko going after Jin, then she probably wouldn't have ended up where she was now. She'd been caught so easily, and felt like a fool for it. She couldn't even protect herself, let alone her teammates and village. For a moment, her shame nearly overwhelmed her. Then she shook her head and continued reaching for the kunai, managing to grasp it between her teeth after stretching her neck so far that she thought her head would fall off._

 _Hinata yanked her head up, jerking the kunai out of the ground before her. She craned her head around as far as she could, and dropped the kunai into her hand. Slowly, she got up, and wedged the tip of the kunai between the individual links in the chain. Then she backed up against the wall, so that she could pin the chain to the wall. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the pain, and slammed herself backwards against the kunai._

 _A pained cry escaped her lips, but she didn't give up. She tried again, and again, and again, glad that she hadn't lined the hilt of the kunai against her spine, otherwise, she would have broken her spine by now. She stopped when she heard the miniscule cracking sound in the links of the chains, and hardly dared to believe her ears. Perhaps, with this weakened link, she could break the chains, and then work at getting the cuffs off her wrists._

 _Backing away from the wall, she dropped the kunai, and yanked her wrists apart hard. At first, nothing happened. After the third try, the chains snapped. Hinata stopped for several moments and leaned back against the wall. The pain from her burns was excruciating, but...she had to get out. If that madwoman caught her, it would be bad._

 _Dredging up her strength, Hinata straightened up and stuck the tip of the kunai into keyhole of the chakra binding cuffs, working at each one until she'd gotten both off. Now, at least, she had use of what little chakra she had managed to regain._

 _Once she had finished that, she slowly crept over to the locked door. Carefully, she slid the kunai in the old keyhole, and worked at getting the door unlocked in much the same fashion she had with the cuffs. It opened much easier than it should have, and warning bells went off in Hinata's head._

 _Very slowly, Hinata slipped out of the room, looking around. She was in a long hallway, a plethora of doors on each side, and lit only by dim lanterns. She hesitated for a moment, not knowing where the exit was, but also not wanting to activate her Byakugan and alert anyone with sensor abilities of the flare of chakra._

 _With a few more moments of hesitation, she decided to risk it. It would be better to get out as soon as possible, considering the extent of her injuries. She activated her Byakugan briefly and examined the area. There were many people in each room, except for the one that led to the exit. Immediately, Hinata deactivated her Byakugan and sprinted for the exit._

 _She didn't make it that far. One quick blow to the head was enough to put her out._

* * *

 _Aiko chained the girl up again, and took away the kunai she'd given her. She was impressed that the girl had gotten that far, but she had never intended to let her escape. It was just a game, and one she hadn't thought that she would enjoy._

 _Once she was finished chaining the girl back up, Aiko left the room and returned to where her father and his ally awaited her return. "S-she's been taken care of." She whispered, bowing her head to her father._

" _Good. Good. She still has a use. Rikichi and I have been discussing what exactly we are going to do with her. There's been a change of plans." Her father said softly, smirking. "But first, since you have returned, we need to get down to business. Orochimaru and our...ally in the Leaf could not attend this meeting, so it will be up to you to deliver the message to them once we have concluded this little meeting."_

 _Aiko gave an obedient nod. "Y-yes, father…" She whispered, keeping her gaze lowered. "I will inform th-them…"_

" _I see that you've finally beaten her into obedience. Good. Aiko was a pest when she was a child." Rikichi said flatly, seated in a chair at the far end of the rickety table. "Then again, all children are. Anyway, I've got places to be, so we'd better get on with this, Aki."_

 _Rikichi was a tall man, tall and well-built, and barely showing any sign of his true black hair showed only a few gray hairs, despite being in his fifties, and there were none of the typical wrinkles around his violet eyes that came with age. Aiko noted that he held a startling resemblance to Jin, though Jin's features were softer, less harsh, prettier. She supposed that he had inherited that from his mother, but she was beginning to wonder why he and Rikichi looked so much alike._

" _Yes, you're right, Rikichi." Aki took his seat on the other side of the table and pulled a chair up beside him for Aiko, who sat without a word. "How are things going on your end?"_

 _Aki, compared to Rikichi, looked much older, even though they were the same age. There was more gray in his hair than its original red color. Crow's feet were etched into his face at the corner of each amber eye, but he still held a powerful presence. Aiko had inherited his sharp, amber eyes, and his unruly red hair, but everything else had been from her mother's side._

 _Rikichi snorted. "It's been easy manipulating those stupid Kiri nin. Not all of them are fond of what their current Mizukage is doing to the village. I've got almost enough support to commence our part." He bared his unusually long canine teeth in a feral grin._

" _Good, good. However, you cannot proceed with your part until everyone else is ready. Aiko and I have been set back drastically because of that damned representative the Mist sent to Konoha. Orochimaru and his little assistant have finally managed to secure what we need to make our experiment a success, though. We need more test subjects, though. Once we've completed our part, we'll have an unbeatable army." Aki glanced at Aiko with a smirk. "Speaking of which, Orochimaru needs more of your blood."_

 _Aiko nodded silently, and and stared at her lap. She wasn't sure what use Orochimaru would be to their operation after what he had suffered in the failed attack against Konoha. However, even that had served its purpose. Konoha was weak, vulnerable._

" _Have you heard from our ally in the Leaf yet? We need to know his progress, so that we can determine the best time to set everything in motion." Rikichi rested his elbows on the table, his fingers twisted together in front of him._

" _Yes, yes, I have. Things are going smoothly there, but he will need more time to negotiate with the prominent clans in the village. He has already gained the Hyuuga's support." Aiko's father replied._

" _Good, good. Now, I think it's time we tell dear Aiko about the change of plans with the little Hyuuga girl." Rikichi leaned back and watched his allies quietly after that._

" _Very well. Aiko, we're going to let the Leaf take back their kunoichi. However, you are going to give yourself away in front of them, and trick them away into coming here. Rikichi wants to size up the Shiraishi you found." Aki got to his feet. "They won't find anything here, so it won't matter if this spot is compromised."_

 _Aiko rose to her feet and bowed her head. "Yes, father. Shiraishi will be brought here. I will not fail you, this time. I promise." And though she had discovered one of Jin's fears, she did not speak a word of it to them for a reason unfathomable even to her._

* * *

Jin woke up alone on the couch. He didn't remember changing his clothes, but somehow he'd ended up in his pajamas, which just consisted of a pair of dark sweatpants and a tank top. He also didn't remember stretching out across the couch, or grabbing himself a pillow and blanket. It was strange, but he supposed that he was just so tired that he was half asleep when he did it.

Sitting up slowly, Jin rubbed his eyes and yawned. He was dismayed to find that he had drooled all over himself in his sleep, and hoped desperately that Kakashi hadn't witnessed that. He wiped away the drool and slowly got up, wandering into the kitchen to see where Kakashi was at.

There was no sign of him anywhere, but he'd left a note on the fridge. It had been scribbled hastily, just mentioning that he would be gone for a while, and that he had left extra money with Pakkun, who was apparently somewhere around the house. Jin supposed that he had been called away on an urgent mission, and shrugged. He would just have to explain his behavior last night to Kakashi when he returned.

Turning around, Jin shuffled to the room he shared with Hakaru. He hadn't heard him come in last night, but he'd been so out of it. Quietly, he pushed the door opened and peered inside. Hakaru was fast asleep on the bed, sprawled out.

Deciding to leave him to sleep, Jin quietly grabbed his clothes and closed the door. Then he went back to the kitchen and made Hakaru a quick breakfast for whenever he woke up. When he was done with that, he put it all on a plate and stuck it in the fridge.

Then he went to the bathroom and changed clothes. He didn't realize that he had grabbed his ANBU uniform to change into. Though it hadn't been his original plan, he decided that it would be nice to have a friendly spar with someone, if there were someone to spar with.

Once he had finished changing, Jin slipped back into the room he shared with Hakaru and grabbed his gear and put it on. Pausing long enough to tuck the blankets around Hakaru gently, he left the room and made his way outside.

For a while, he just wandered around the village, searching for someone interesting to spar with. It was then that he noticed Sasuke acting a little fishy.

Jin went over to him, frowning a little, but didn't comment on the way he was acting. "Do you want to spar? I'm feeling a bit restless now. Maybe I can show you a neat trick." He paused for a moment. "You want to become stronger, don't you?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes for a moment before nodding and following after Jin. He said nothing as they walked through the village to one of the more distant training fields.

It didn't take long to reach the desired training field, and when they did, Jin turned and faced Sasuke. "You want to become strong. How will you do it? I can guarantee that Orochimaru will not help you. He'll only use you for his own gain." He'd found out about the curse mark shortly after Chuunin Exams, and wanted to do nothing but help him.

"I don't care as long...as long as I can kill _him."_ Sasuke replied, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

Jin had no doubt that Sasuke meant his brother, and he wasn't about to stop him from pursuing his revenge. "You don't have to follow Orochimaru to become strong enough to kill your brother, Uchiha-sama. You don't have to completely give yourself up. I have an offer for you, if you'll listen to me."

Sasuke hesitated a moment, narrowing his eyes a fraction. Then he nodded, knowing that if he didn't like what Jin had to say, he didn't have to agree to anything. The desire to become strong enough to kill that man that called him his brother burned within him so strongly that he would take any chance to become strong enough to do that.

Jin smiled faintly. "Thank you for at least hearing me out." He paused for a moment, studying Sasuke. "Sometime in the near future, I'll be called home to become host to the three-tailed beast. You must not tell anyone else that, though, okay? Anyway, I wanted to offer for you to come with me. You'd come to Kiri with me, and you would protected from Orochimaru. Most of all, you would have access to the harshest training regimen you could imagine. Things are far more brutal in Kiri, and you wouldn't have to hold back. You would be able to learn from the remaining Swordsmen of the Mist. However," he paused again, trying to gauge Sasuke's reaction before going on, "your team will not know where you have gone. You cannot tell them, for your own safety. Tsunade-hime, of course, will have to be informed. I'll talk to her about that later today."

Sasuke stared at him for a moment, suspicion clouding his gaze. "What's in it for you?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"I would be able to ensure your safety, for one thing. And for another, I have a score to settle with your brother's partner, Hoshigaki Kisame." Jin's expression darkened for a moment. Then he shook his head to clear it, and smiled. "We'd likely meet up along the way anyway, since your brother and his partner are nearly inseparable. And together, we would have a better chance of success. And this way, you're not betraying your village either."

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, his hand instinctively going to his neck where the curse mark was at. He nodded after a bit. "Fine." He agreed. Jin was the only who hadn't tried too terribly hard to discourage him from revenge. "When would we be leaving?"

"As soon as I get word that the sanbi has been located. Until then, I can teach you a few things that I think would be suited to your style. That move you used in the Chuunin Exams, Chidori, I think it was? You have to use lightning based chakra, right? Well, I happen to have known someone who had quite the talent with lightning based techniques, and while I'm not very, uh, proficient with that type of chakra, I can teach you what he taught me. I'm sure you'll be able to utilize them far better than I can." Jin replied, taking a scroll from the pouch attached to his belt. He opened it and performed the seals to retrieve the sword he kept within.

Sasuke watched with mild interest, though he was disappointed that they wouldn't be leaving right away. He itched to avenge all that he had lost, and he could only see this as a mild inconvenience to though. He wondered what Jin could actually teach him, though.

Jin picked up the gleaming white sword of bone in his left hand and rolled the scroll back up, replacing it in the pouch where it belonged. He was glad that he'd chosen to wear the long black glove today. It went up all the way up to just below his shoulder, so that very little of the scarred skin and black mark showed. Tsunade had healed the burns perfectly, but they had left nasty scars. The glove would not only hide the scars, but would protect him from the damage that lightning based chakra often caused.

"Are you ready?" Jin grinned wickedly, lifting the sword, and using his other hand to slowly making the hand seals needed for the technique. He decided that he would start off by showing Sasuke something less dangerous than what he had been taught. "My partner in both ANBU and as a hunter nin was known by the code name Inazuma, and not just for his lightning speed. Now, I suggest you move out of the way, so that I don't end up hurting you."

Sasuke moved out of the way, just as the gleaming blade began crackling with electricity. Rapidly, the electricity raced along to the end of the blade, crackling.

Jin darted towards a lone tree, using chakra to increase his speed. Before he was even close enough to hit the tree with the blade itself, he swung hard. Electricity leapt off the blade, as an extension of the blade and slashed through the tree with a burst of brilliant white light.

For a moment they were both blinded by the bright light. When it faded, all that remained of the tree was a burnt out husk, with a noticeable mark where the electricity had gone through. It looked as if the tree had been struck by lightning and, in a way, it _had_ been.

Jin lowered his arm, wincing slightly, and turned to Sasuke. "Well, I suppose I should ask you this first. Do you have any sword training? Any weapon training, other than the standard kunai and shuriken? Of course, this technique will work with both of those weapons, but it's more effective to use a weapon that has longer range for this technique. You'll also need to learn one handed seals."

Sasuke slowly shook his head, staring at the tree with wide eyes for just a moment before he turned to look at Jin. His gaze was drawn to Jin's left hand. "You're hand is smoking."

Jin glanced down at his hand and blinked at the smoke rising from his glove. "Ah, yeah, you're right. It is. You've gotta be careful with techniques like this. I'm sure you've already noticed with your Chidori that you can end up doing damage to yourself. Some of the techniques that are more deadly and effective than this one can cause drastic nerve damage. Hakaru-chan was always having to fix up my partner, though, so you don't have to worry about it being permanent as long as it's treated quickly enough." With a sigh, he set the blade down, and peeled off his smoking glove, which had a few holes in it now.

"Teach me." Sasuke said immediately, staring at the blade.

"First, you'll have to learn how to use a weapon of some sort. We'll have to try you out with different kinds to see which one is the best fit, and once you've learned to wield it well enough that it's an extension of yourself, then I'll teach you those techniques. Let's start with this, though…" Jin unsheathed the standard issue ninjato that every member of Kiri's ANBU was issued upon acceptance. He tossed the ninjato in the air and caught it by the blade, handing it hilt-first to Sasuke, who took it without hesitation.

Jin was beginning to feel at ease now. Even though he had felt better when he'd woken up, he had still been restless. Now that he was out in the open, out in fresh air, he felt much better. He didn't feel so trapped.

"Where do I start?" Sasuke asked, seeming surprisingly attentive compared to Naruto.

"First you want to-" Jin was cut off by wailing in the distance, that sounded remarkably like Hakaru. Jin spun in that direction, his eyes widening slightly.

Without a word, he sprinted off in the direction he heard the wailing, Sasuke following after him without hesitation. He didn't know what was going on, but he prayed that he would make it there in time to make sure that Hakaru stayed safe. He wasn't going to let him get hurt.

When the pair reached the training grounds the wailing was coming from, they were met with a shocking sight. Hinata was standing in the center of a small crater, Byakugan activated. Keeping their distance, Kiba and Shino were standing in defensive positions. Hakaru stood behind Kiba, wailing as if he'd witnessed something terrible.

Hinata turned her attention to Jin slowly, staring at Jin in a way that he didn't realize she was capable of. "So, you're here." She spoke in a flat tone, without even a single stutter or any of the shyness that she seemed incapable of shaking.

"Who are you? Where's Hyuuga-hime?" Jin asked harshly, approaching without hesitation. He had a feeling that he already knew who was masquerading as the gentle girl, but he wanted to confirm it.

"I'm sure you already know who I am." The fake Hinata turned her back on Jin, a slow smirk crossing her features before vanishing. A moment later, she sprinted off, away from the village.

Jin cursed, and cut his thumb on his sword. He crouched down, calling one of his summons. When the smoke cleared, Banri, the albino cheetah, stood proudly there. "Banri-sama, I need you to track the imposter masquerading as Hyuuga-hime. I'll be following shortly."

"What? You're not going to make this easy for me? Nothing to catch the scent on? Oh, whatever. Do you want me to engage if I catch up?" The cheetah plopped down, licking one paw lazily as he stared at his summoner.

"No, keep your distance from her. She's highly dangerous. Now go! We don't have time for this." Jin ordered, watching as Banri got up, flicking a paw as if to flick away a bug, and then sprinted off in the direction the imposter had vanished in.

As soon as he left, Jin summoned Chika, allowing the dove to hop up onto his wrist as soon as the mist cleared. "Chika-hime, I need you to deliver a message to Tsunade-hime for me, please. Tell her that there was an intruder posing as Hyuuga-hime. Tell her that I'm going after her, and that I'll bring the real Hyuuga-hime back with me."

Chika nodded, and fluttered her wings. However, before she took off, Kiba spoke up. "We're going with!" Beside him, Shino nodded in agreement.

"...I'll go with you, too." Sasuke said from behind him, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Jin frowned a little, but knew that, as Hinata's teammates, they would not be dissuaded. He would also likely need help bringing Hinata back. "Very well." He glanced at Hakaru. As much as he didn't want to bring him along into such danger, he knew that it was possible Hinata would need emergency medical care. "Hakaru-chan, you'll come with, too. However, if all of you are coming along, you will follow my orders without question. Who we're going after, if it's who I think it is, is incredibly dangerous and far above your own skill levels. Do you understand me?" He glanced at Chika again when they all nodded reluctantly. "Take a message to Yuuhi-hime and explain to her what we're doing. I'll leave a summon here for her to follow if she's in the village."

Chika nodded her head and shot up into the air, flying urgently to those Jin had named off. As soon as she had disappeared from sight, Jin summoned another cheetah. This one was slightly smaller than Banri, and unlike his fur, hers was the beautiful gold color splotched with dark spots that was typical of the animal.

"Shoko-hime, I need you to wait here for Yuuhi Kurenai-hime. When she arrives, please track Banri-sama's scent and follow us with here." Jin spoke rapidly, knowing that time was of the essence.

The slender wildcat dipped her head in assent, and settled back on her haunches. "Keep Banri safe."

Jin nodded slightly, and ran a hand through her plush fur. "I will, I promise." He spun around and sped off in the direction that Banri had disappeared in, followed closely by Hakaru and the genin.

Throughout the entire journey, Jin prayed that they would make it in time, that Hinata would still be alive by the time they got to her.

* * *

" _Forgive me, mother. Forgive me, father. Because of your actions, I have no other choice." Katagiri Azusa, daughter of the Land of Fire's daimyo, spoke softly. "You had Yoshihisa-nii killed. Because of that decision, it's time for you both to burn in the depths hell for the rest of eternity. Don't fret, though, the Yuki clan will pay for their crimes as well. It is entirely their fault that Yoshihisa-nii is dead. But to do that, you cannot live."_

 _Azusa crushed deadly nightshade into each bottle of the strongest sake she had been able to find when her father had requested it from the servants for the party he had planned later that night. She was careful not to put so much in that the taste would be detectable, knowing that her mother and father would both drink a whole bottle apiece. It would be plenty to end their lives._

 _Once she had finished, Azusa resealed the sake bottles and replaced them where they belonged. "Don't worry, Yoshihisa-nii. I'll avenge your death. No one in main branch of the Yuki clan shall survive." By dawn, her parents would be dead and, as the heir, Azusa would take her father's place and lead her country into a great new era._

 _Quietly, she straightened up and snuck back to her room. It was only a few moments after she returned that there was a knock on the door, and her servants entered to help her put her kimono on and tame her wild red hair._

" _Katagiri-hime, we're ready to help you get dressed. Your mother has finally decided what kimono you will wear tonight." The older of her servants, Megumi, spoke gently. She entered the room and set down the emerald green kimono while her helper brought in everything else._

" _Thank you, Megumi." Azusa slowly got undressed, and allowed Megumi to help her dress. As always, it took quite a while to get the formal kimono on, but Azusa did not voice her irritation for once._

 _Megumi misinterpreted her silence as a sign of grief for her dead brother, and ran her fingers soothingly through her hair. "Your brother would be so proud of you, stepping into his position without hesitation. You'll make a fine successor to your father's position someday."_

 _Azusa pursed her lips, but said nothing as Megumi and her assistant finished helping her put on her kimono. She turned and sauntered over to the vanity, taking her seat and staring at herself in the mirror. Megumi followed her over and began to smooth out her unruly mess of hair, taking care not to pull to hard._

 _Having her done took almost more time than putting on her kimono had because it was so wild and untamed, but eventually Megumi managed to wrangle it into an elegant updo. As soon as that was finished, she set to work lining Azusa's eyes in kohl, a relatively new cosmetic import from one of the countries far across the sea, even past Water Country. It was such a rare thing that only wealthy families could afford as of now._

" _Thank you, Megumi. You may go." Azusa said softly once the servant had applied the kohl and a pale peach lip balm. "It's about time that I made my appearance now." She rose to her feet and left her room, making her way down to the large room that the party would be held in._

 _The party passed by uneventfully, and Azusa played the perfect daughter, her expression dampened by grief for her dear brother. No one seemed to have noticed the poison in the sake. She had the fleeting feeling guilt for harming those who had not been a part of what had happened to her brother, but it faded quickly and did not resurface. She had chosen her path, and pawns had to be sacrificed to further her goals. Their deaths served a greater purpose, and Azusa was certain that they would be happy to give their lives for her to carry on along her path to greatness._

 _The party was winding down by dawn, and Azusa had already returned to her room, feigning exhaustion. Instead of going to sleep, she had gone out to her balcony to watch the sun rise. Below her, she could already hear the panicked voices of those who were realizing that the sake they'd been drinking had taken the lives of their beloved daimyo and his beautiful wife._

 _Azusa watched the sun rise, and for the rest of the day remained on the balcony. It wasn't until the sun began to set, its dying rays dying the sky a bloody red, that she turned her back on the light, and began her journey on the dark path she had chosen._

" _I will avenge you."_

* * *

Jin knew that they were in a bad situation as soon as they arrived at the spot that the fake Hinata had disappeared into. As much as he wanted to wait for Kurenai to show up, he knew that they probably didn't have much time.

"Banri-sama, wait here for Shoko-hime and Yuuhi-hime, please. The rest of us will be going in." He glanced back at the genin and Hakaru. "Remember what I told you. I don't want you getting involved in the fighting that may occur. We are all going to make it out of here alive."

Banri narrowed his eyes, but gave a quick nod. "Fine. Come back safely."

Jin gave him a nod, and scratched behind one ear. "I'll be just fine. Don't worry about me." Without another word, he spun around and sprinted into the cave they had stopped at. He was unnerved to find that it was completely unguarded, and completely trap free.

The cave was dimly lit with blue flamed candles, and the musty scent coming from down the stairs in the back of the cave reminded him of Kiri's interrogation room. A shiver went down his spine, but he said nothing as he began his descent.

Jin stopped once he had reached the bottom of the steps, and looked around. They were in a dimly lit room, and in its center stood two people. One he recognized, and the other he didn't, though there was something distinctly familiar about him.

The familiar woman slowly glanced up at her companion, fear crossing her expression for a moment before disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared. "He is here, Rikichi. That's him." She slowly lifted her arm and pointed at Jin. "What do you want me to do now? You said you wished to test his skills."

"What I want you to do," The man, dubbed Rikichi, grabbed the woman by her ponytail, "is leave us to it, and not cause any problems with your worthless self, Aiko." Without another word directed at her, he shoved her into the wall, a savage smile on his face.

When he let go, Aiko staggered to her feet and stumbled away towards the door behind them. Her pace was hurried, as if she couldn't wait to get away from him. As strange as it was, Jin felt a pang of sympathy towards her. However, as quickly as his sympathy had appeared, it vanished. This was the woman who worked with Orochimaru, who had taken him down with a single touch, and probably the same person who had taken Hinata.

"Inuzuka-sama, Aburame-sama, stay with Hakaru-chan. Keep him safe. I'll take care of this. Find Hyuuga-hime. Uchiha-sama, you stay with me, but don't get involved unless you have to." Jin issued the orders without hesitation, hoping that they would follow them.

Rikichi didn't bother trying to stop the genin when the dashed past both him and Aiko, instead focusing his attention on Jin and Sasuke. "Shiraishi Jin. I've been eagerly awaiting this moment. I've heard much about you. I want to see if it's true." Slowly, as if he didn't think Jin and Sasuke would be much of a challenge, he formed a double bladed sword made purely of ice.

Jin was surprised, to say the least. The only other person he'd met with the same kekkei genkai he had had been Haku. He had been certain that all the others had gone into hiding, or had fled or been killed. However, once the surprise wore off, he retrieved his sword, the white blade glinting faintly blue in the dim lighting.

It didn't matter if this man had the same kekkei genkai he did. Jin would take him down.

* * *

 **Author's Note: First off, I am so, so sorry that it took this long to update! I got busy with work and school, and I probably won't be able to update again until after I finish finals. My last final will be on the 15th, but after that, I'll be able to update more freely. Thank you guys so much for reading, and for putting up with my sporadic updating. As you will probably notice, Jin sort of has a hero complex, and as you will probably notice more as the story progresses, he has a habit of taking in 'strays.' Anyway, I'm sorry this chapter jumped around so much, but it's super important. I hope you're enjoying the story so far!**

 **To sarahgri99: Jin does seem to have had it pretty rough, doesn't he? Thank you so much for reading!**

 **To Trisana: I'm so glad that you're enjoying Remnants so far, and I hope you continue to enjoy it! I'm glad you'll continue reading even if you don't always review, too! I really appreciate it! That story that Jin told Kakashi will still be very important later on, and when it gets to that point, I hope you'll enjoy how it plays in. This chapter kind of turned into an info dump, but now you get to see more sides of the story that Jin told. As far as the three tails is concerned, it kind of bugged me how Kiri didn't seem to be all that concerned with finding it, since it was their beast to hold (if it's even possible for it the tailed beasts to really belong to anyone or any village), which is part of why Jin may or may not end up with it. It makes more sense to me, for them to try to keep control of something that powerful. Thanks again for reading!**

 **Thank you guys once again for reading! I enjoy seeing your reviews, and hearing your feedback! Thank you, also, to those of you who just lurk, without reviewing or favoriting, but continue to read Remnants! I hope you're enjoying reading it, and I'm so glad that you chose to read it.**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Jin analyzed his options and his opponent, eyes narrowed. A double-bladed sword was a relatively versatile weapon, for both mid and short range combat. Not to mention the fact that it was made purely of ice, and could be reformed at any moment. His opponent was smart, but he was certain that, if he were quick enough, he could end the battle before it even began. After all, he had a technique that not even Haku had been able to replicate, despite the fact that they had the same kekkei genkai. He was certain that this man would be the same.

"Who are you?" Jin asked, stalling for time. He needed the time to build up his chakra. With animals, this technique worked without issues because they couldn't figure out what he was doing to them fast enough to stop him. With humans, he always met resistance. They always figured out what was happening, and tried to counter it with their own chakra, though it often didn't help.

"It doesn't matter. Who are _you?_ " Rikichi smirked at him, as if he already knew the answer to his own question. "Shiraishi Jin, correct?"

Jin narrowed his eyes slightly, studying Rikichi, and committing his face to memory. There wasn't much about him that was notable, other than the niggling sensation in the back of his mind that told Jin that somehow he knew this man, and the slashed through Leaf headband. He found it strange that someone with a kekkei genkai native to the Land of Water had somehow made it to Konoha, to become a shinobi there.

"What of it?" He was almost ready to strike, almost had enough chakra prepared to quell whatever resistance Rikichi put up.

"I've heard much about you. You thwarted little Aiko's pathetic attempt at your life. But she managed to copy something of yours, didn't she?" Rikichi relaxed, watching Jin with that sickening smirk of his.

Jin narrowed his eyes a fraction, following Rikichi's gaze to his left arm, the arm that Aiko had grabbed the day she had attacked him. It was uncovered now because the glove he'd worn had caught fire, and the discolored skin where she had burned him, and the strange black pattern she'd left behind were visible to the world. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out soon, but for now you're _my_ opponent, not hers. Leave us, Aiko, and take the Uchiha boy with you. I don't want him interfering. Now make your move." Rikichi replied.

Aiko snapped to attention like an attack dog, and picked her way around them, towards Sasuke. "Come with me, Uchiha. This is a battle you do not want to get involved in."

"No." Sasuke snarled, retrieving a kunai from his pouch lightning-fast.

"Uchiha-sama, don't engage yet. Stay here. Call for Banri-sama. No, wait, Shoko-hime is on her way with Yuuhi-hime now. Just stay put." Jin ordered, making several rapid hand seals. With the last one, he snapped his hand closed into a tight fist.

Rikichi went very still, hardly moving for several moments. Then he smirked, his dark, tainted chakra rising up in resistance to Jin's. "It's laughable that you'd try using a technique like that on me. Especially since I've already mastered it." He made just three one handed seals, and Jin felt himself freeze.

Having his own technique turned back on himself was something that he'd never experienced before. Now he knew how the summon had felt in the Chuunin Exams when he'd frozen its blood. He could feel it getting more difficult to breathe, his heart racing with the extra effort it took to pump his sluggish blood through his veins. Jin would be lying if he denied his fear. He felt as helpless as he had when he'd seen the life drain from Raizo's beautiful green eyes, his head growing dizzy.

All of it was over in a moment, when Sasuke leapt for Rikichi, kunai aimed for his throat. He missed his target because Aiko, predicting what he'd do, leapt to stop him. The blade grazed down Rikichi's collarbone, and then Aiko and Sasuke were on the ground, wrestling like angry cats.

With his concentration snapped, Rikichi's hold on Jin's blood weakened, and Jin forced his chakra in resistance with his. The cold receded, and Jin was given a chance to recover as Rikichi stared down at the fight.

When he caught his breath, Jin launched himself towards Rikichi with the intent to kill. Despite his age, Rikichi's reflexes were still as quick as they had been in his younger years. He swung upwards, blocking Jin's blade without ever taking his eyes off the fight going on at his feet.

Aiko and Sasuke sprang apart, each sporting new cuts and bruises. It was difficult to tell who was worse off. Seizing the chance, Jin slipped between the pair and nudged Sasuke out of harm's way.

What happened next was just a blur to Jin. His sword met with Rikichi's once, twice, slow at first, but quickly speeding up as each tried to land a blow on the other faster than each blow before. He didn't register it when Aiko and Sasuke stumbled out of the way of their swordplay, nor did he notice when Kurenai finally showed up.

It had been years since he had relied completely on swordplay in a fight with another shinobi, but there was no time for him to use his kekkei genkai, or any other technique he had learned, except…

His mind flashed to what he'd shown Sasuke earlier that morning, and he smirked. He wasn't nearly as fast as Raizo with the technique, but it would be fast enough for this battle. Quickly, he began building up chakra in his left hand again, the hand his sword rested in.

He hoped this technique would end the battle because he was beginning to tire. Not even he could keep up with prolonged swordplay. Somewhere in the background, he could hear shouting, but it was more like an annoying buzz in his ears that he paid no mind to.

With his right hand, he made the hand seals faster than he ever had before, and was glad that he hadn't worn his typical metal plated gloves today. The low hum of electricity, different from the high-pitched chirping sound Sasuke's Chidori made, told him that it was time to strike. He could already feel the electricity tearing away his flesh and frying the nerves in his hand.

Electricity leapt along his blade, as if eager to taste his enemy's flesh and burn it to a crisp. With a final swing of his sword, Jin finished the battle. The electricity went right through Rikichi rending him into two jagged pieces. Blood sprayed, sizzling on his blade.

Then there was a poof, and the two parts that had once been Rikichi turned into nothing more than two blocks of wood that landed on the ground with a clatter.

Jin spun around, expecting Rikichi to attack from behind, but he was nowhere in sight. Neither was Aiko. It seemed that they had both fled. The crackling of the lightning on his blade, and the pain that slowly radiating from his arm brought him back to reality.

Slowly, the electricity faded away into nothing as he stared at Sasuke and Kurenai to ground himself. Everything tilted around him, but he didn't let himself fall. He shook his head slowly, ridding himself of the dizziness temporarily.

When he looked up at Sasuke and Kurenai again, he noticed their startled expressions. He didn't comment on them, instead shaking his head again. "I sent Inuzuka-sama and Aburame-sama with Hakaru-chan to find Hyuuga-hime. They went this way."

Jin turned away and walked down the way they had gone, hearing Sasuke and Kurenai following him, as well as the soft pitter-pattering of Banri's and Shoko's paws.

Quietly, he made his way down the hall, checking each room for Hinata and the others. He found them in the last room at the end of the hall, and was horrified to see what had been done to Hinata's face.

Kiba and Shino glanced over at them as they entered, but Hakaru remained focused on trying to heal Hinata. It was obvious that the burns on her face had been much worse before they had arrived, and that Hakaru had already done an amazing job reducing the swelling and managing to save her eye, but Jin was certain that Hinata would be scarred for life. Without sight, there was nothing that Hakaru could do about the cosmetic aspect of her injuries.

Kurenai was by her student's side in an instant, much to Hakaru's disdain. "You're in the way." He complained, shifting Hinata's sleeve off her shoulder so that he could heal the damage done to her throat and shoulder. The black markings that Jin had received on his arm were mirrored on Hinata's face, shoulder, and throat.

"Yuuhi-hime, back up a little. Hakaru-chan needs space to work, and if you're too close it distracts him." Jin put his hand on Kurenai's shoulder and gently pulled her away from them.

Almost immediately, green chakra flared up around Hakaru's hands, and he began to use it to heal the terrible burns Hinata had received.

Shoko stepped forward from behind them, and pushed her head against Kurenai's dangling hand. "Your cub will be just fine in his hands. She will recover, don't worry." She leaned her body against the kunoichi's leg, a soothing purr rumbling from her throat.

Kurenai tore her gaze away from her wounded student, and stared down at the lanky cheetah by her side. Very slowly, she scratched behind Shoko's ears, allowing herself to be comforted by the big cat.

After several moments, Hakaru leaned away from Hinata and rose to his feet unsteadily. He turned to Jin and stumbled over to him, suffering from chakra exhaustion. Despite that, he took Jin's left hand, his own beginning to glow green as he began to heal the damage to his nerves.

"Hakaru-chan, stop. You're exhausted. I'm fine. We're all fine now." Jin said gently, trying to tug his hand out of Hakaru's surprisingly strong grip. Hakaru was quick, though, managing to repair most of the damage to his nerves before wobbling and falling against him.

Jin caught him carefully, glancing up just in time to see Kurenai picking up her wounded student gently in her arms. With a heavy sigh, he lifted Hakaru up in his arms. "We need to get out of here. Banri-sama, go on ahead and alert Tsunade-hime that we're on our way, and that Hyuuga-hime will need immediate medical attention. Hakaru is good, but he doesn't have experience with burns, and we don't know what else was done to her."

Banri nodded his head once, and sprinted back the way they had come. Shoko stayed at Kurenai's side, as if to show her support. "She'll recover. My cub was injured terribly once, and Hakaru saved her life. You don't have to worry about your cub. I'll watch over her when we return. You must be exhausted with how quickly we made it here, especially since you just returned from a mission, yes?"

Kurenai hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. "...thank you." She replied hesitantly.

With that being said, the group hastily made their way out and back to the village, each cheetah on either side of the group, acting as sentinels with the sole task of protecting the group.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight; someone has been posing as Hyuuga Hinata for an indefinite amount of time, and decided to blow her own cover and make you follow her to where the real Hinata was, where you were met with someone who went by the name Rikichi, and apparently wanted to size you up. Did I get all that right?" Tsunade did not sound happy. No, she sounded _furious,_ but it seemed like there was also something else bothering her, too. "What the _hell_ were you thinking, going without waiting for more backup?! God only knows how Terumi deals with you! I've hardly been Hokage for a month, and you're already causing trouble!"

Jin shifted his feet, hanging his head. While he knew that Tsunade was only angry because he'd been so reckless and that there'd been no time to stop him, her famous temper still scared him.

"Not to mention the fact that you dragged a bunch of genin into far too much trouble than they could handle! Honestly! If that Rikichi you mentioned is the one I'm thinking of, then you're lucky they made it out alive! He's an S-Class missing-nin with a reputation for murdering children!" Tsunade snarled, sounding as if she knew more than she was letting on.

Finally giving in to her anger, Tsunade slammed her fist down on her desk, snapping it in half as if it were no more than a twig. Jin supposed that she could've done worse, though he couldn't help but flinch away. She could've snapped him in half instead.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-hime…" Jin's voice trembled, but he didn't move, instead bracing himself to be hit.

Tsunade let out a heavy sigh and closed her eyes for a moment. She rubbed her temples, as if willing away a migraine before opening them again. "No, it's not your fault. This is a problem, though…" She sounded more tired than anything now. "I'll have to think about this…" She glanced up at Jin and frowned a little. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Come on, I need to check on Hinata again. I'll let you come with to see her."

Jin hesitated for a moment, before nodding slowly. Very hesitantly, he followed after Tsunade, freezing up when she paused to pat his shoulder gently. He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. He knew Tsunade would never hurt him, but he just couldn't help how he responded to tense situations. It was in moments like these that he wished more desperately that Raizo was still alive.

Clearing his throat, Jin decided to change the subject. "Tsunade-hime, I think that it will take time for Hyuuga-hime to get used to the fact that she will never look the same again. If it would be okay with you, I would like to take her and the rest of her team to…" He paused a moment to steady his voice. "To my home village in the Land of Water. I can guarantee their safety, and it would be a good way to strengthen ties between our villages. I know you've never visited that particular village, but I can guarantee that it's safe and peaceful. It would be a good place for Hyuuga-hime to rest and recover. And there's many events this time of year, that I think they would enjoy. I understand if it's not possible right now, though. I know how hard everyone has to work to repair the damage that was done during the Chuunin Exams."

"I'll think about it." Tsunade replied, a frown set on her face. "Were you hurt?" She changed the subject abruptly, glancing over at Jin. Concern suddenly glimmered in her eyes. "I find it hard to believe that you made it back without injury."

Jin smiled faintly, though it looked strained, as if he hadn't quite recovered from being yelled at. "Just a few scratches. Hakaru-chan already fixed up my arm, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Don't lie to me, Shiraishi. You're not very good at it." Tsunade snapped, narrowing her eyes at him.

Jin forced himself not to flinch, knowing that he didn't have to be afraid, but still on edge. "Yes, I am...I'm just not good at lying to people who are nice to me…" He heaved a sigh, putting a hand to his chest to calm his racing heart. "It's not bad; I didn't even notice it at first. It'll be fine."

"Do I have to have you admitted?" The Hokage crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Jin. "Don't test me. You know I'll do it. What's your deal with hospitals anyway? You've always been like this, and it's rather ridiculous."

"Ahh, I just don't like them. Please don't admit me. I'm okay. I promise. Please just don't make stay there…" Jin bit his lip, trying not to show his desperation too much.

"Prove it." She snapped, making him walk the rest of the way to the hospital. "Before we get there, or I'm having you admitted."

Jin grumbled, stiffening slightly. Then he reached up and grabbed the collar of his tank top, and pulled it down just far enough to reveal a shallow cut trailing along his collarbone. "There. See? I told you that it wasn't bad. It's shallow, and I doubt it will even scar."

Tsunade examined the cut and snorted. "You're right. You can leave that one to heal naturally, but you need to have it treated."

Jin bit his lip harder. "And I won't have to stay?" He asked softly, edging away from her slowly.

"No, you won't have to stay. It's not bad enough to warrant that. Get it treated, and you can visit Hinata. After that, we can discuss your idea about taking her to the Mist." Tsunade led him through the doors, and called a nurse over for Jin.

Jin reluctantly followed the nurse to a room where they could properly treat his wound. He sat down when he was told, and obediently removed his shirt when asked so that the nurse could treat the shallow wound. It was minor enough that they didn't need to call in a proper medic nin. It wouldn't even need stitches.

"You're lucky. This could have been much, much worse. You don't even need stitches, though. Be more careful, alright?" The nurse spoke gently as she disinfected the wound, and taped bandages across it to prevent infection. "You shouldn't even need to have it checked. Just change the bandages daily, and you should be able to get rid of them all together in four or five days. Let us know if there's any unusual swelling, throbbing, or discoloration, alright?"

Jin nodded slightly. "Yes, thank you." He mumbled, slipping his tank top back on just as a little old woman stuck her head into the room.

"Ah! Shiraishi-san! You should've visited me, if you were going to come here." Yui said, slipping into the room and placing her hands on her hips. "I get awful bored all by my lonesome."

"Takigawa-san, we've told you over and over that you're not supposed to enter rooms without permission, especially when there are patients in them!" The nurse scolded gently, though she didn't seem too angry about it.

"Ah, it's quite alright. I don't mind." Jin cut in. "Besides, you've already finished up. Oh, can you tell me where Hyuuga Hinata-hime's room is? Tsunade-hime gave me permission to visit."

"Ahh...well, she's in room three-forty-two." The nurse replied hesitantly, her gaze saddening. "It's too bad what happened to her. She was such a pretty girl."

Jin nodded slightly and rose to her feet. He went to Yui's side and offered her his arm. "Shall I escort you back to your room?" He asked kindly.

"Oh, hell no! I want to see this Hinata girl, and I want you to visit for a while! It won't be long until I'm released, but I don't want to spend anymore time in that dingy room than I have to!" Yui replied, but took Jin's arm anyway.

"Very well, very well." Jin laughed. Her presence was putting him at ease. "Come along." Slowly, so that she could keep pace, he escorted Yui to Hinata's room. It didn't take long to get there, and they both stopped right in front of the door.

Tsunade was already inside with Kurenai and Shoko, who had kept her promise to watch over Hinata. With a quiet knock, Jin went inside, leading Yui in behind him. He went to Tsunade's side, frowning as he gazed at Hinata.

"Hokage-sama mentioned your idea about taking her to the Mist to recover. I think it would be good experience for her, and she would be able to recover without being stared at so much…" Kurenai looked up at Jin, frowning a little.

Jin nodded slightly, offering her a small smile. "If Tsunade-hime agrees, we'd leave as soon as she's able. I expect that you would like to come along, Yuuhi-hime? Inuzuka-sama, and Aburame-sama are also welcome to come along. I was also thinking about seeing if Uchiha-sama, Haruno-hime, and Uzumaki-sama would want to come along."

"I hope you're going to invite me, too! It's been an eternity since I've seen the Land of Water! I want to see what's changed!" Yui butted in, puffing out her wrinkly cheeks in a somewhat disconcerting manner.

Jin blinked and glanced down at the little old lady. "Ah, well, I suppose that would be fine with me, provided that you get discharged from here first. It'll be a bit of a difficult journey, at least, the last part will be."

Tsunade nodded hesitantly. "I'll get back to you about that in a bit." She said, frowning slightly. "Now, you mentioned someone called Hakaru? Who are they? They're the one who stabilized Hinata, right?"

Jin nodded slightly, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Ah, yeah. He's like my little brother. I took him back to Hatake-sama's place before coming to report to you, since he exhausted himself so badly. I meant to introduce you to him earlier, but uh, you've been so busy. I can introduce you to him now, though, if you'd like."

"No, let him rest. You can introduce us later." Tsunade replied, shaking her head slightly. "You need to go get some rest, too. I'll let you know my decision later."

* * *

It was a week before Hinata was well enough to travel, and she was doing about as well as could be expected considering the circumstances. She stood leaned against Kiba, the entire right side of her face covered by thick bandages.

Jin waited quietly at the gates that led out of the village, Hakaru on his left, and Yui on his right. He gazed at Hinata quietly, frowning faintly. They were just waiting for Sasuke, Sakura, and one other person that Tsunade had neglected to name.

Tsunade had needed Naruto, Shino and Kurenai for other things, so they were not able to come with them this time around. Not to mention the fact that the mere sight of Naruto had sent Hinata into a fit of terror. She hadn't explained what that had been about, but Tsunade had decided that it would be better for Hinata's recovery if Naruto weren't there. Shino and Kurenai had been needed for other missions and help with the continuing repairs on the village.

After a few short moments, Sakura showed up, Sasuke not far behind her. Jin smiled at them when they approached. "We'll be leaving as soon as the last member of our group shows up. Tsunade-hime forgot to tell me who they were, but it shouldn't be long now."

It was an hour before he finally showed up. Kakashi, as usual, didn't seem concerned that he was late. "Yo." He greeted, one hand in his pocket, the other lifted in greeting.

"Well, that explains that." Sasuke grumbled, rolling his eyes. Sakura snorted from beside him.

Jin crossed his arms and mock-glared at Kakashi. "We're on a cramped time schedule here, y'know. We want to make good progress before dark."

"Sorry, sorry. I just-" Jin interrupted him before he could continue.

"I don't want to hear any excuses. Let's just get going. Ah, but I should mention that we'll be traveling in a rather...unconventional manner." He smiled faintly. "But first, there's one last thing I need to do…"

With a smile, he cupped his hands in front of him, forming something with his ice. Well, several somethings. When he was done, he handed one of the objects to each of them. Each object was a pin, and none were alike.

"What's this for?" Sakura asked, peering down at her pin. "It's very pretty."

"You'll need to wear those while we're in the Land of Water. Nobody will challenge you with those on, and no one will try anything they shouldn't. Basically, it means that you are all under my protection, and that if anyone lays an unwanted hand on you, they won't escape unscathed. Even if we get caught unawares by missing nin, you'll be safe." Jin explained, smiling a bit.

"How would wearing these prevent missing nin from attacking us?" Kakashi asked somewhat skeptically, watching Jin with his typical lazy expression.

"Most of the missing nin hanging around in the Mist are former Kiri shinobi, and know very well what would happen if they harmed someone wearing something made from ice that doesn't melt, like mine. I'd really rather not get into details, though." Jin replied.

When everyone had put their pins on, Jin smiled and cut his thumb with a kunai he'd kept on his belt for that purpose. He swiped it on the ground, and there was a huge puff of smoke. When it cleared, a dove easily the size of many buildings sat preening her glistening white feathers.

"What do you want, Jin?" The dove turned her beak towards her summoner and stared at him. She could easily fit all of them in her beak, if she really wanted to. "I see that your face is just as pretty as usual. Chika told me a while back that you had ruined. I would have disowned you if you'd done any permanent damage to it. Actually, I would have destroyed whoever did it to you." She nudged Jin roughly with her beak, knocking him over.

"Hey, be nice to me, Himeko-hime!" Jin laughed and got up, patting her enormous beak gently. "I wanted to see if you would mind giving us a ride to Kiri. I'm taking some Leaf shinobi for a visit to my hometown, and Mizukage-sama wanted me to stop by and see her first. I thought it would be safer and quicker to travel by air."

"Hm...I suppose. With how late in the afternoon it is now, we can make it by just after dark." Himeko replied, then looked around at everyone she would be carrying. "What's their problem? Haven't they ever seen a summon before?"

Jin glanced around, laughing at everyone's stunned expressions. Kakashi was the only one who didn't look surprised to see such a big bird. "I don't think they've ever seen one as big as you, except for those snakes."

"My, my, what a gorgeous bird!" Yui commented, walking right up to Himeko as soon as she had recovered from her surprise. She reached up and began stroking her feathers with her wrinkly fingers.

"Well, with a compliment like that, perhaps I can get you there quicker. But I can't take you back to your home after that. Even I would freeze to death. My feathers aren't made for those kinds of temperatures." Himeko fluttered her wings, peering down at Yui.

Jin smiled. "Great. Thanks, Himeko-hime." He turned to the others. "Come on, I'll help you guys up." He went over to help Yui first, waiting until Himeko lowered herself closer to the ground before helping her climb up onto her enormous back, where she nestled into the soft feathers.

Everyone got up rather easily, even Kiba and Akamaru. Jin climbed up last and showed each of them how to nestle into Himeko's feathers and get a good grip for takeoff. When he'd finally finished that, he went to his spot at the base of her neck, Hakaru plopping down just behind him.

Himeko launched herself into the sky as soon as she was sure that everyone was settled, circling in the air higher and higher until she was far above the treetops. Once she had cleared the tallest tree, she soared towards the sea.

* * *

The journey didn't take long at all, and they managed to make to Kiri before the sun even began to set. Himeko landed just outside the village gates, shaking her wings out once they had all dismounted. It had begun to rain as soon as they had made it across the sea, dark clouds covering the sky as they usually did.

Jin smiled at Himeko, thanking her before sending her back to her home. "Get your identification ready." He told everyone, turning and guiding them in through the gates.

"Well, look what the rain brought. It's Shiho's kid. Not as good a fuck as your mother, but decent enough." The shinobi sitting just inside the village gates smirked at Jin. "You're still just like her, though; a whore through and through."

"It's nice to see you, too, Koichi-sama." Jin replied curtly, ignoring the startled expressions on his companion's faces. "I don't really have time to waste right now, so I would really appreciate it if you would take a look at my friend's identification cards so that we can get going." He slowly made his way over to stand by his side. He gestured for his companions to come forward, hoping that Yui would hold her tongue. He had quickly learned that she was very feisty.

Much to Jin's relief, Yui didn't say a word as she took the lead in approaching Koichi, instead taking it upon herself to glare at him. Koichi checked her identification and returned it to her, nudging her out of the way so that he could get on with his task.

Sometime during the scrutinizing process of Koichi trying to find any way to delay them, his hand found its way to Jin's lower back.

Jin stiffened, but otherwise didn't react as Koichi's hand dipped lower, forewarning Jin of his intentions that would become very clear later that night. Just as always, he had no intention of stopping what Koichi intended to do to him. Though he definitely didn't want it, he let everyone do whatever they pleased to him. In a way, he felt he deserved it for letting Kaoru and Raizo die. He didn't feel that he deserved the right to say 'no.'

"You're clear to go through." Koichi told them once he had finished checking each of their ID cards. He smirked faintly, clasping his hand around Jin's left butt-cheek in a grip tight enough to leave bruises as a reminder of how he liked to 'play.'

"Thank you, Koichi-sama." Jin said softly, acting as if nothing were happening. "We'll be going now." He jerked himself away from Koichi and smoothed out his casual kimono. Without another word, he led his companions farther into the village, heading straight for the Mizukage's office.

As they passed Koichi, Jin noticed Kakashi shoot him a cold look. He wondered if he had noticed what he had done, or if it had just been because of the comment he had made. Or it could have just been his imagination.

Shrugging it off, he went on his way, making sure everyone stayed close behind him. Still he couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine. They would have to stay the night in Kiri and make an early start in morning. Sometime later, Koichi would come for him, he knew, and there was nothing he could do to avoid it.

With that unpleasant thought in his mind, he entered the building that was their destination and made his way up to the Mizukage's office. He stopped in front of her door and turned to look at his companions. "You can wait out here. Mizukage-sama just wished to speak with me. I'll call you in if she wants to speak to you guys. Then we can find a place to stay for the night and set out early in the morning."

Without waiting for an answer, he knocked on the Mizukage's door and slipped inside without waiting for her response. He closed the door behind him and bowed low. "Mizukage-sama."

"Shiraishi. You're early. I didn't expect you until after dark." Terumi Mei lifted her head from her paperwork and studied him for a moment before returning to it. "It's good to see that you're doing well. I heard about what happened at the Chuunin Exams, though you seem to have neglected to tell me yourself. Never mind that, though."

Jin could tell by her tone that this wasn't the end to that conversation, but for now she seemed to be dropping it. "Sorry, Mizukage-sama," he paused for a more before going on with a different subject, "I've brought the Leaf shinobi with me. As I mentioned in my letter, we'll be heading off to my home as soon as we're able. You mentioned that you would have some sort of mission for me while I was back here?"

Mei gave a brief nod and set her pen down on her desk. "Yes, let me find it." She frowned and began rifling around through her paperwork until she found what she was looking for. "Ah, here we are." She rose to her feet and handed Jin a sealed envelope. "You have a few weeks before you need to complete this. You said you were going to stay for a month or two before returning to your post, right?"

Jin nodded just slightly in response, slipping the envelope into his kimono. "Yes, I'll be here long enough to get this done. When the time comes, who will I be working with?"

"Minami Koichi and Minami Ran. You may also have the Leaf shinobi you've brought with you work with you. It would be good to build stronger bonds with the other villages. This mission would be a good opportunity for that. Of course, as the highest ranking shinobi in the group, you will act as captain. You will find all the information you will need in that envelope." Mei replied, turning and going to the window, where she stared out at the light drizzling rain.

"Very well, Mizukage-sama." He hesitated for a moment, frowning now. "Has there been any news on the sanbi?"

"We're tracking it right now. As of now, it's too dangerous to seal it within you. We've been trying to corner it somewhere that it won't be able to escape while we seal it. I'll keep you informed, and I'll call you back when we've secured it somewhere." Mei replied, turning back to face Jin with a grim expression on her pretty face. "You'd better get going now. I'm sure you'll be wanting to get a few rooms here so you can get an early start in the morning."

"Yes, Mizukage-sama. Thank you." Jin smiled and left her presence, closing the door behind him.

Kakashi and the rest of his companions were waiting leaned up against the wall. Sasuke was staring down a tall hunter nin who waited outside with them. The hunter nin didn't seem to notice, merely nodding to Jin and sauntering into Mei's office.

"Good luck in there, Ao-sama." Jin said, then turned his attention to his friends. "Are you guys ready to find a place to stay for the night?"

"Actually," Kakashi began, "we've all decided that we'd rather keep moving, and camp when it gets too dark to move on."

Jin blinked in surprise, and glanced at the others before returning his gaze to him. "Are you sure? It's dangerous, and it'll be difficult finding proper shelter from the rain." He asked. Admittedly, he was relieved that they wanted to move on right away. It meant that he wouldn't have to give himself to Koichi later that night.

"We're sure, Jin-san. I think we're all rather excited to see where you grew up." Sakura answered, offering him a smile. "It was Kakashi-sensei's idea to keep going, but we all agreed."

Jin glanced at Kakashi curiously, wondering what had given him the idea to keep going despite the rain and approaching night. "Ahh, very well, then. Let's get going. We can pick up some warmer clothing on the way there. There'll be a little trade village just below the mountains we can stop at before it gets really cold."

With that, the group departed from Kiri, Jin wondering all the while if Kakashi had realized what would have happened had they decided to stay the night there.

* * *

 _It was the beginning of the end, though there was no way for anyone to have known what would happen as a result of their choices. There was no way for them to have predicted the way their two families would be torn to shreds and gripped in the cruel hands of hatred for one another. There was no way they could have known that their choices would lead to rise of the most bloodthirsty ruler in history of the time. Had they known, perhaps things would have been different._

 _Daimyo Yuki Shigeru sent his son, Kotaro, to infiltrate the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's home, and to assassinate his family._

 _Kotaro didn't know what he was expecting when he arrived in the Land of Fire. Perhaps, because of the land's name, he had been expecting things to be...well, on fire. However that was not the case, and it certainly became clear in the coming days why it was named as such. The heat rivalled that of burning flames, and was certainly something that he was not used to, seeing as how he hailed from the coldest part of the Land of Water._

 _The journey had been easy, but then, with his skill level, that was to be expected. He had made good time, arriving at the Daimyo's palace a day early. As per his father's orders, Kotaro was playing the part of a talented bodyguard for hire. The Fire Daimyo's previously hired bodyguard had been killed several weeks previously, and he had been searching for someone more suitable ever since to protect his son, the heir._

 _That was where Kotaro came in. While he wasn't usually one to approve of murder and assassinations, he believed, like his father, that the deaths of the Fire Daimyo and his family would ensure his own family's and country's safety._

 _Kotaro was allowed into the Daimyo's audience chamber as soon as he arrived, as his arrival had been long awaited. The longer his heir went without a skilled bodyguard, rather than the standard palace guards, the more likely it was that someone would make an attempt on his life._

" _Katagiri-sama," Kotaro bowed low in respect, keeping his violet gaze on the ground in front of him, "I am ready to serve you." His voice was low and respectful, but displayed nothing of what he felt or thought._

 _The Daimyo gazed at Kotaro approvingly, his eyes narrowed in a cat-like manner. "Very good, Suzume Kotaro, very good. My daughter, Azusa, will take you to meet my heir, and then you will be shown to your chambers. Begone."_

 _Kotaro rose his feet, his gaze drawn to the young girl the Daimyo had pointed out. She looked as if she were barely in her teens, but the dignified way she held herself showed that even though she was so young, she was still a dignified member of her family, and someone to be wary of._

 _Without a word, Azusa turned around and led Kotaro out of her father's audience chamber. She seemed to relax as soon as she was out of her father's presence, her amber eyes softening into a more friendly expression. "I'll take you to meet Yoshihisa-nii now. He's in the gardens. Please follow me." Even though she had relaxed, she still spoke with the uptight dignity of someone who believed that she was better than everyone else._

" _Thank you, Katagiri-sama." Kotaro replied, following close behind her._

 _As they walked, Kotaro took his time studying his surroundings, examining the lavishly decorated walls surrounding him. In front of him, Azusa stopped in front of a sliding door, waiting until he caught up to open it._

 _Quietly, she led him out to the garden, leading him off the small porch and into what appeared to be a hedge maze, the hedge plants likely imported from some far off country. It was a peaceful place, a different sort of peace than the peace that Kotaro was used to._

 _In the center of the garden, at the center of the maze sat man dressed in a fine kimono. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard them approach, a gentle expression on his pretty face._

 _Kotaro stopped dead at the sight of him. The sun shone down on the Fire Daimyo's heir brightly, as if he were in a spotlight meant just for him. His dark red hair shone like a brilliant dawn in the light, sticking up in some places as if it were impossible to get it to lie completely flat on his head. His large, amber eyes stared back at him, reflecting his own surprise, and perhaps something more. His delicate, frail features made him look more like some sort of divine being, rather than something mortal._

 _As Kotaro stared at him, he began to notice the tiny flaws in Yoshihisa's features, but to him they were perfect imperfections. The way his hair remained untamed and unruly and completely uneven, one side longer than the other; the miniscule scar on his lower lip; the odd bronze flecks in his beautiful eyes; his just slightly, hardly noticeable crooked nose. Everything about him was perfect, especially his imperfections. Kotaro could hardly believe his eyes, feeling as if he had been graced with the presence of something greater than himself._

 _His heart skipped a beat, a strange feeling rising up within him. He felt his face flush briefly, and wondered if there was something wrong with him. He didn't know how to slow his racing heart, or why it was racing in the first place._

 _Between them, Azusa cleared her throat, breaking Kotaro's train of thought. He turned his attention to her immediately. "Kotaro-san, this is my older brother, Yoshihisa-nii. Yoshihisa-nii, this is your new bodyguard, Suzume Kotaro."_

 _Kotaro dropped to one knee, bowing his head low respectfully. "It is a pleasure to serve you, Katagiri-sama. I will protect you with my life."_

" _Please, just Yoshihisa is fine." His voice was soft, gentle; something he hadn't expected from the Daimyo's heir. Then again, nothing about Yoshihisa had been what he had expected. "You don't need to bow to me. We are equals, no matter what position we hold." He paused, tongue flicking across his lips to wet them. "I do not wish for you to die for me."_

 _Slowly, Yoshihisa made his way to Kotaro, his steps almost hesitant. He extended his hand to him, his face flushing red for a moment when he accepted his hand._

 _Kotaro rose to his feet, allowing Yoshihisa to pull him up. Now face to face, it was easy to see how much he towered over Yoshihisa. He couldn't help but smile faintly. His reason for being there forgotten, he let the desire to get to know Yoshihisa wash over him. He wanted to know more about him; what made him happy, sad, angry; his hobbies, and his hopes and dreams for the future._

 _Not realizing that his next words would seal their fates, Kotaro spoke honestly. "If that is what you wish, then it will be so. I will live for you. I will always be by your side, even in death I will stay by your side as your guardian. If we are separated, I shall search for you tirelessly. Even in death, I will not rest until I am by your side."_

* * *

 **Author's Note: Done with finals! It's such a relief to have a break from school! Hopefully I'll be able to update more quickly, now that I'm out for the summer! I know that this chapter is a bit shorter than the last two, but I thought this was a good place to end the chapter. I really liked writing the last part of this chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading it! Thanks for reading, and you're welcome to leave a review, if you'd like! I always enjoy reading your feedback!**

 **To sarahgri99: I'm glad you enjoyed the fluff! I actually meant for there to be more fluff in this chapter, but it didn't quite fall in line with what was happening this chapter. Thank you for reviewing! I really enjoy hearing your feedback, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The journey to Jin's home village had gone relatively smoothly. There had been no sign of the missing nin that often roamed the land, and for the moment the people were not at odds with each other or engaged in any bloody civil wars that often ravaged the land. Even the stop at the village just before the the final leg of the journey up the mountain had gone well.

"Welcome to Hontenkai, also known as Honhakuhyou. I know it doesn't look like much from here, but this is just the outside limits of the village." Jin smiled faintly, leading them down the well-kept stone path to the village.

Hontenkai was set in a high valley between the two twin peaks of the mountain, and had survived there despite the odds for centuries. For the most part, the village looked exactly the same as it had when it had been built. Modern amenities had of course been added as time went on, but the layout and architecture had remained the same, and every new home had been built in the same way the originals had been. The large palace resting on a plateau overlooking the village, that had once been the home of Water Country's Daimyos', remained untouched and open only to those native to the village, and the few guests they were allowed to bring. Centuries ago, when the original bloodline of the Daimyo had died out, a new palace had been built for the family that had taken their place, as they had not been able to handle the extreme temperatures. Now it remained as a relic of the distant past, never refurbished, but instead maintained. Everything remained intact, if a bit fragile with age.

None of Jin's companions said a word, apparently too cold to care enough to comment. They silently followed him along into the village proper. Closer to the center of the village, there were many more people out, going about their daily business in the center market or their shops. No one really seemed to notice the newcomers, having had tourists visit before.

"Come on, this way. I'll have you guys stay at my house, so that you don't have to pay for a room at the inn. It's just a little ways outside the village, but it has a fantastic view. I hope you'll like it." Jin smiled faintly, and led them into the heart of the village, planning on just cutting through to the other side.

As they reached the center of the village, the palace overlooking the village came into view, no longer hidden by the tall pine trees surrounding the outer edges of the small village, earning muffled gasps from a few of his companions. Jin glanced back and laughed softly.

"After you guys have gotten settled in, I'll give you a tour of the palace. But for now, just keep up." Jin promised, quickening his pace.

It wasn't long before the palace disappeared from view behind the pines again as they swiftly made their way to the edge of the village. It didn't take long before they were on the outskirts, where few houses and shops were located, but they did not stop until they'd gone through the trees surrounding the village and come out on the other side.

A decent sized house sat on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the mountainside below. It was indistinguishable from any of the other houses in the main part of the village, except that it was older than most. It was in pristine condition, other than the overgrowth of the hardy mountain plants that had occurred in Jin's absence.

In their younger years, after they had bettered their relationship, Jin and Raizo had saved up all their money for years to buy the house so that Jin could escape his parents, and so that Raizo could have a real home. After Raizo's death, Jin had discovered that Raizo had paid off every last cent they owed on the house and left it to both him and Hakaru so that they would always have a place to call home. It had broken his heart all over again when he'd found out.

Fishing out the old-fashioned key out of his pocket, Jin went up to the front door, unlocking it with only a little trouble, and letting the others in before himself.

Immediately, Hakaru darted down the hall to his room, clearly overjoyed. Jin laughed softly and led his companions into the living room. It was just as cold inside the house as it was outside, so he turned on the heat as he passed the thermostat, letting out a sigh of relief as the furnace clanked into action.

Jin turned the lights on as he went, relieved when they only flickered once or twice. All along the walls pictures were hung, though most of them were covered by thin white cloths, as if to keep them from collecting dust, or perhaps because Jin couldn't yet bring himself to look at them again.

The living room was cozy, with mismatched chairs and a couch all circling the old fireplace in on the left side of the room. The chairs and couch were all covered in plastic sheets to prevent them from getting too dusty. Everywhere else, there was a thick layer of dust.

"Sorry that it's so cold and dusty. It's just Hakaru-chan and I living here now, so there wasn't anyone to keep up on the place. I'll clean up a bit before bed tonight, so that it's a little better taken care of." Jin smiled at them. "Come, I'll show you guys to your rooms. There are only four, though, so we'll have to work around that a little. It'll be alright, though."

Jin led the way down the hall Hakaru had disappeared down, stopping at the first door and opening it. "Takigawa-hime, you can have this room."

Yui poked her head into the room and sneezed. "My, it's rather dusty in here. Oh, but what a pretty room." She commented as she flipped the light on.

The room was moderately sized, a large bed to one corner in the room, adorned with plush handmade blankets. The walls in this room were all empty, but the walls were beautifully patterned with pink cherry blossoms.

Jin left Yui to admire the room, and moved along to the next door. He opened it and moved aside. "Haruno-hime, Hyuuga-hime, you two can share this room. We'll figure out sleeping arrangements later tonight, so don't worry about that too much."

Sakura darted into the room immediately, followed more slowly by a sullen Hinata. "Wow…" Sakura breathed, staring around with wide eyes. "I've never seen such a pretty room…"

This room was about the same size as the last, but the walls were patterned with delicate wisteria blooms of various shades of purple. The large bed was covered in the same blankets as Yui's room. Hinata had perked up a little, looking around with a bit more interest.

Jin left the pair to look around and went to the next door down the hall, and opened the door. Hakaru was inside already, sprawled across his bed, with his face buried into the pillows. "Uchiha-sama, Inuzuka-sama, you two will be sharing with Hakaru-chan. Again, we'll work out sleeping arrangements tonight."

This time, Jin didn't wait to see their reactions, instead taking Kakashi to the last room at the end of the hall. He almost hesitated as he opened the door, entering the room as if he were afraid of disturbing something. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and let Kakashi in before him.

"I hope you don't mind sharing with me. This is my room." Jin said quietly, looking around at the familiar room.

"Not at all." Kakashi replied, looking around. Even he seemed impressed with the craftsmanship of the old house.

As the master bedroom, Jin's was the largest out of the four, and certainly the most magnificent. One entire wall was nothing more than a beautiful window, facing the cliffside and overlooking the mountainside. On the other side of the room, the bed was pushed into the corner, covered in soft blankets and feather-down pillows, and strangely enough, several piles of old stuffed animals. The walls were painted a solid blue, paler than the sky, though they were mostly covered by more pictures, most of which were covered by thin white cloths again. Both the nightstands and the tall dresser were made of the same beautiful dark cherry wood, though they looked a little worse for wear. Finally, there were two doors in the corner of the room, one that led to the closet, and the other that led to a bathroom separate from the rest of the house.

"You can put your things wherever." Jin said, going to the closet door and opening it. He reached in and fumbled around in it until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a thick coat, and exchanged it for the one he was wearing. It was a little big on him, but as he pulled it on, he caught a lingering trace of Raizo's scent; cinnamon. It comforted him, made him feel just a little safer. Raizo had never been without at least one cinnamon stick in his pocket, often more. Jin reached into the coat pocket, closing his hand around a pair of crumbling cinnamon sticks. It brought back memories, bittersweet memories.

" _Cinnamon sticks?" Jin asked questioningly, tipping his head to the side much like a cat. "What are those for?"_

 _Newly friends, Jin was tentatively getting to know Raizo better. He owed him for rescuing him from one of his abusers, but Raizo hadn't wanted anything other than to be his friend after that point, which had led to Jin badgering him with questions._

" _They smell good." Raizo replied flatly, though something about his posture said that it was something more than that. He reached over and retrieved the cinnamon sticks from Jin's hands, stuffing them back in his coat pocket._

" _I suppose that's true, but why would you carry whole sticks of them?" Jin asked, craning his neck back to meet Raizo's expressive green eyes. He hadn't yet hit his growth spurt, so he was still much shorter than the Kaguya._

" _It doesn't matter!" Raizo snapped, clenching his fist. However, seeing Jin's frightened expression, his anger melted away._

" _Ah...I...I'm s-sorry, Kaguya-sama…" Jin whimpered, taking a step back, and then another. He bowed his head subserviently, hoping that he wouldn't be hit._

" _Raizo. Call me Raizo." His flat tone had returned, but his expression was softer than before. "I didn't mean to scare you." He lowered his gaze, frowning a bit now. It was a moment before he spoke again. "Mama used to make all sorts of things with cinnamon before she died. It...makes me feel safe."_

 _Jin's eyes widened slightly, his hand rising to touch the deep red Hellebore flower encased in ice that he kept tucked behind his ear. It had been his baby brother's favorite flower before his death. "I understand."_

 _Raizo's eyes widened slightly, and he stared down at Jin. It had never occurred to him before that someone could be missing a loved one as much as he did._

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Jin closed the closet door and turned back to Kakashi. He smiled weakly at him and left the room, hardly registering it when he followed closely.

When the pair of them made it to the living room, all the genin, Yui, and Hakaru were already there waiting for them. Apparently, they were all rather excited to see the palace, though Sasuke hid it much better than the others.

"Alright, before we go, we need to get Akamaru-sama something to put on over his paws. He's already got a coat, but it's not uncommon for paws to freeze to the ground." Jin smiled and opened a drawer in the coffee table, retrieving a set of small animal foot coverings. "Here we are." He handed them to Kiba, who reluctantly put them on a wiggling Akamaru.

Once that was done, Jin checked to make sure everyone had on their scarves and mittens and hats over their coats. Since they weren't adapted to the extreme temperatures like he was, they had to wear more layers.

With that done, he turned and led the way out of his house, making sure to close and lock the door tightly behind him. Then he led them back to the main village. "The village is relatively straightforward, so there's not really much point in showing you around. But I'll take you up to the palace and give you a tour of that. It's a bit of a hike, but it's beautiful. However, I should warn you…" Jin trailed off. "Well, you'll see when we get up there."

"Warn us about what?" Sakura asked hesitantly, her voice muffled by the thick pink scarf she had wrapped around the lower half of her face.

"You'll see when we get there." Jin replied cryptically, leading them towards a set of stone steps that wound up the mountain towards the plateau the palace rested on. "Be careful going up the steps. They can get a bit slippery, and there's no railing."

Without another word, he began climbing the steps, glancing back every so often to make sure that his companions were doing alright. It was a difficult climb, especially in the harsh conditions of Hontenkai. The view climbing up, however, was beautiful, fitting the description of what some would call a winter wonderland.

The climb took only about twenty minutes, and Jin stopped at the top to let everyone rest for a few moments before they passed through the beautiful torii gates normally reserved for shrines. "Before we pass through these gates, you need to bow before the torii gate, and remember to walk through on the outer edges. The center of the path is left for Kuraokami-sama. Before this was a palace, it was a shrine to him. If you're lucky, he'll bless your visit."

Jin led the way up to the torii gates and bowed low to the ground, before passing through. He kept to the side, leaving the center for the resident god to come and go as he pleased. As soon as he passed through the gate, the atmosphere around him seemed to change, as if he had entered a sacred place, which he had. Past the gate, even the snow that had begun to fall had stopped once he'd passed through, though it still fell on the other side of the torii gate.

One by one, the others passed through the sacred gate, each looking around in awe. Yui looked particularly solemn, remaining uncharacteristically quiet. She gazed around sadly, her violet eyes narrowed just slightly.

"Come, let's go inside. It's not quite so cold in there. I'll just give you guys the short tour, since the sun will be setting soon. If you want to come back another day, you have my permission to do so." Jin said, walking right up to the palace.

"Why would we need your permission?" Kiba asked, rolling his eyes. "It's not like anyone lives here anymore."

"Have you forgotten what I told you already? This was a shrine before the palace was built. Kuraokami-sama is not an idle god. The shinobi born in this village return here before war for Kuraokami-sama's blessing. It's said that those who pray here before war are gifted with a long-forgotten shinobi's soul to fight alongside them in battle. Kuraokami-sama is not a cruel god, but he does not have much patience either. _He_ lives here, and as someone who was born here among the ice and snow, I have the authority to gift to you access to the palace and the shrine."

"That can't possibly be true." Kiba rolled his eyes again. "Dead spirits can't fight unless they've been resurrected."

"Inuzuka-sama, you would be wise not to doubt Kuraokami-sama's power. He alone controls the snow and ice here, and seeing as how you are in the domain in which he rules, you would do well to show some respect. And anyway, it's true. If you pray here before war, or leave an offering, you will be shadowed every step of the war. I've fought in two wars, and both times I've left an offering here. Both times, I've been shadowed by the spirits of two different shinobi." Jin glanced back at him with narrowed eyes. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Let's get this tour started already!" Yui cut in, shuffling her feet impatiently. She pushed past Jin, going right into the palace without waiting for them.

Jin frowned a bit, but didn't stop her. She'd cut right through the tension that had been building because of Kiba's doubt. He had to remind himself that not everyone had witnessed what he had. "Very well. Come on, this way." He walked faster, overtaking Yui without any problems. "We'll start in the audience chamber."

Quietly, he led the way across the large entrance hall, pushing open the heavy stone doors that led into the audience chamber. Even now, centuries later, the audience chamber was as beautiful as ever. It was as if not a moment had passed since its abandonment. Nearly everything was in pristine condition, though a few things had been repaired as time had gone on.

The audience chamber was decorated in vibrant violets and blues, the colors of the main branch of the Yuki clan, which was long thought to have died out, though the lower branch was still scattered across the Land of Water, the majority of its remaining members keeping their kekkei genkai a secret from the rest of the world.

Above the throne in the back of the room, hung a portrait of the last Daimyo of the main branch of the Yuki clan, and his family. It was beautifully preserved, having withstood the test of time.

"This was the audience chamber, where the last Daimyo of the Yuki clan listened to the needs of his people and dealt with international matters. From what's left of the records from his time, he was not a good ruler." Jin walked up to the throne, his footsteps echoing throughout the chamber. "This painting is of his family."

In the center, with his bird-faced wife just behind him, sat the portly Daimyo. His round features were the exact opposite of his wife's sharp angular ones. In front of them, stood their five children; three boys and two girls, all gifted with their grandparents' ethereal features.

"The Daimyo and his wife were not very well remembered, but they're children are very well known. The oldest, Kotaro, has a fairytale based off of him, though I doubt that there's any truth in it. He died first, though we don't know the real circumstances of his death. If we're to believe the fairytales, he was killed at Star-Crossed Lover's Channel. Ikki was the oldest after Kotaro, and he was murdered in the palace gardens shortly after his younger brother and sisters vanished. No one knows what happened to Hisashi, Sayuri, and Emi after they vanished, though it was rumored that something had happened that made it impossible for them to stay." Jin explained briefly, staring at the portrait.

"My, that's quite a sad story. They had your same kekkei genkai, yes? Well, there happens to be a legend in Konoha about a man named Hisashi, who had something similar to that kekkei genkai, who sacrificed himself to kill a corrupt Daimyo of the Land of Fire centuries ago." Yui said, staring at the portrait with an unreadable expression on her wrinkled face.

"Really? I'd love to hear it. Perhaps after dinner? We can sit in front of the fireplace and listen." Jin suggested, smiling a bit.

Yui smiled wide and nodded slightly. "Sure! That sounds lovely! But let's get this tour on the road!"

* * *

The tour had gone surprisingly well, and Jin had shown them each how to give an offering or make a wish to the dragon god of rain and ice, Kuraokami. He'd taken them home after that, stopping by the market to pick up dinner for the night.

Now they were curled up in the chairs and couch in the living room in front of a crackling fire that Jin had started when they'd returned.

Yui took a sip of her tea, a smile on her face and the fire reflecting in her violet eyes. "Are you ready to hear that story now?" She asked, not looking surprised when Sakura, Hakaru, and Jin nodded their heads rapidly, while the others nodded more sedately.

"Yes, please!" Jin replied, sitting on the edge of his seat and leaning forward to watch Yui intently.

"Very well, very well. The story begins with a young girl named Azusa. She was the fire Daimyo's youngest child, and much loved by the land. She idolized her older brother, wanting nothing more than to be like him." Yui began, her expression slowly darkening.

Jin tipped his head to the side slightly, watching Yui raptly. Already, he was sucked in. He had always been a sucker for fairytales and stories like this.

"The death of her brother changed her drastically. She was consumed with hate, wanting nothing more than revenge against those who had caused his death. Barely a month after her brother's death, Azusa murdered her mother and father, and took her place as Daimyo. For several years, she focused her time on building the Land of Fire in her image, focusing most of her efforts into gaining the largest army of shinobi at the time. It ruined the economy, leaving the poor with no way to pay their taxes or provide for themselves. The Senju clan and the Uchiha clan were the only ones who openly stood against Azusa, as well as two strangers and a pair of young children, Chimamire no Kouri no Hisashi and Hoshizora no Yoru no Emi, who had arrived in the Land of Fire years before." Yui took a deep breath and paused for a moment.

"No one knew where Hisashi and Emi came from, except that they were siblings, taking care of their dead sister's children, and that their hair was black as a starless night and their eyes the most vivid violet that most people had ever seen. For the most part, they kept to themselves, always looking over their shoulders as if they were being hunted. For a time, they lived in peace, doing all they could to make sure the children were happy and healthy."

Jin leaned forward a little more, nearly sliding off the couch until Kakashi grabbed his elbow and gently pulled him back onto the couch without a word. He was too entranced with the story to notice Kakashi's actions.

"One day, Azusa crossed paths with Hisashi and Emi, and recognizing the violet eyes and dark hair, knew that they were somehow related to the man that had caused her brother's death so many years ago. Hisashi and Emi, in turn, recognized the dark red hair and amber eyes that had been described to them by their oldest brother in letters before his death. Though they knew that this was not the person that their brother had been referencing, they knew that somehow she must be related to them. Noticing the rage in her eyes when she spotted them, they fled with the children. For many months after, Azusa sent shinobi to search for the two strangers and the children, telling her own children of the dangers these people caused. It bred hate into their souls, twisting them into hateful beings with only one thought in their minds that they eventually passed on to their own children; the clan of those with violet eyes had to be eliminated first before they were eliminated by them." Yui took a sip of her tea, glancing at all the rapt faces around her, as if expecting questions.

"No matter how far Hisashi and Emi fled, Azusa followed, intent on killing them herself. It came to the point that Hisashi realized that something had to be done. He had learned how much the people of the Land of Fire were suffering under her rule, and knew that the tattered remains of his family would be hunted down and killed unless something was done. They were caught in the middle of a battle between the rebelling Uchiha and Senju clans and the aggressing shinobi led by the Daimyo herself. I should mention that this was long before the first and second Hokage were even born." Yui smiled faintly. "Anyway, Hisashi realized that they would never escape Azusa's rage until she was dead, and so he made his decision."

Yui sipped at her tea, her expression growing somber. "Hisashi told Emi to take the children and run, promising that he would not be far behind. Once he'd seen them escape the battle, he turned and confronted Azusa. A great battle ensued, and neither the Uchiha clan nor the Senju clan could aid Hisashi in his battle. Meanwhile, Emi and her sister's children found a safe place to watch her brother while he fought the last battle of his life. For longer than an hour, they fought viciously, their blades stained red with each others' blood. It came to the point where Azusa got the upper hand, and fatally wounded Hisashi. However, Chimamire no Kouri no Hisashi had earned his name for a reason. With the last of his strength, he froze the ground beneath their feet, and using the blood that had soaked into the ground, parted the ground. They both fell to their deaths in a cavern far below the ground, and neither of their bodies had been recovered. Emi, knowing that her brother was dead, vanished into history with her nephews, whispers of her name across the land being the only reminder of the girl whose brother gave his life to end Azusa's tyranny."

Jin frowned slightly as Yui ended the story. It was such a sad tale, and he hoped dearly that it was just that; a tale. It was such a sad fate, for all parties involved, that he would never wish upon anyone. "Thank you for the story," he glanced around, noticing that he, Kakashi, and Yui were the only ones still awake, "I think it's time for bed, though."

Jin rose to his feet, deciding to leave everyone where they were, and went to his room. He set up a futon on the floor for himself, and laid down for bed. The story Yui had told, as well as Kotaro and Yoshihisa's, was a sad reminder that not all fairy tales had happy endings. It was a jarring reminder that his own had ended just as terribly.

* * *

" _You!" Azusa roared, her eyes wide with recognition, and along with it, rage. "Yoshihisa-nii is dead because of you!" She gripped the gleaming white skull on the hilt of her wakizashi, as she stared the four foreigners in front of her._

 _Hisashi put himself between the remains of his family and Azusa. He hadn't expected to run into the Daimyo alone in the woods while they traveled. He hadn't expected at all for the Daimyo to become so enraged upon seeing them. He recognized her red hair and amber eyes, though. The same traits Kotaro had described in his letters home that he'd loved so much on Yoshihisa._

" _Come on, Emi." He backed up a little, grabbing one of the twin's hands. He turned and hoisted him up in his arms, while Emi did the same with the other twin. As he took off he could hear Azusa shrieking madly._

" _It's okay, Yoshihisa-nii! I'll avenge you! They'll all die by my blade! And you'll be able to be a part of it, too!" Hisashi glanced back to see Azusa caressing the skull on the end of her wakizashi. "Don't worry, dear brother!" Her voice rose gleefully, "I'll eradicate their family from this world!"_

 _Hisashi sprinted away with Emi by his side, chills running down his spine. He understood now why the Senju and Uchiha were leading the revolt against her. They had stayed out of political matters, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. It hadn't quite worked, as both his and Emi had been dubbed with monikers that incited fear in the general public._

" _Don't be afraid, Kazuma, Kazuto. We'll keep you safe." Emi spoke softly, her voice gentle despite the fact that they were fleeing from a madwoman dead set on revenge. "Sayuri is watching over us, and protecting us. Remember that."_

 _Kazuma, the twin that Hisashi held, nodded silently, and closed his eyes as if wishing he were anywhere but there. Kazuto, on the other hand, did nothing except cling tighter to Emi. For the two seven year old twins, life had always been this way. Running and hiding from those who would cause them harm. Neither understood why they were always running, but they had grown to understand that it was for their safety._

 _Emi and Hisashi didn't stop until the sun had sunk far below the horizon, making it far too difficult for them to continue on without risking falling from the trees they leapt through. Silently, they dropped to the ground below, surveying the area until they were sure that it was safe._

" _Kazuto, it's alright now. We're safe." Emi promised as she set her nephew down on the ground. Barely fourteen, she had grown up quickly. She was already a distinguished kunoichi, and braver than most seasoned shinobi. She hoped that her late siblings were proud of her._

 _Seven long years had passed since the death of her oldest brother. The tragedy had irrevocably changed her life. Now it was just her and Hisashi taking care of Sayuri's beloved children._

 _Sayuri had not wanted to die, but something had gone terribly wrong while giving birth to her twins, and there had been nothing that anyone could have done to save her. She'd only had the chance to hold her children once, for a few precious seconds, before she had passed. With her dying breath, she had named her children and promised that she would always be with them._

 _Emi had promised her sister that no harm would ever come to the twins, and she had so far managed to keep her promise. Fiercer than a rampaging dragon, she had killed to protect what was left of her family. She wasn't sure if Hisashi knew just how far she had gone to keep them all._

 _Hisashi was exhausted, stressed to the point of breaking. Everyday, Emi noticed the strain her older brother put himself through. Wanting to lighten the weight on his shoulders, she had taken over the responsibilities of making sure Kazuma and Kazuto had everything they needed. That, she had done with his knowledge._

 _Though she knew she was tainting her soul, blackening it with each sin she committed, Emi had also taken on the responsibilities of killing anyone she found pursuing them for whatever reason. She hadn't told Hisashi what she was doing, not wanting him to blame himself for what she had to do. He had far too much on his mind as it was._

 _This was her burden to bear alone._

 _Emi soothed the twins as her brother started a fire, wiping the dirt from their cheeks. "Hold on a moment, and we'll get something to eat, alright? We're going to sleep under the stars again tonight, where Sayuri can look down on us."_

 _After she had cleaned the boys up, she went rummaging through her bag in search of food. They hadn't had time to replenish their supplies in the closest village when they'd been caught by Azusa. They were down to the last few strips of jerky they'd saved for such occasions. Without a word, she divided the jerky up between them all, making sure that the twins got the most. They were still growing, and needed more food than they did._

 _Once each of them had finished off the last of the jerky, Hisashi laid down the blankets they had as close to the fire as they could safely be. He and Emi tucked in each twin at the center of the blankets, and curled up on either side of them. The twins drifted to sleep easily, knowing that they were safe between Hisashi and Emi._

 _The next morning was chaos. Emi sat bolted to her feet, startled awake by the sound of clashing swords and the dying screams of those who fought valiantly for their cause._

 _All around them, fire and other jutsu flew through the air all around them. Emi had never been in a war zone before, but it made her heart race._

 _Hisashi was up and moving about already, scouting the best way out of their predicament. He kept his head low, not wanting to risk being hit by any of the flying jutsu and shuriken. The twins hadn't moved, clinging to each other. This was no place for them, even though Emi and Hisashi had already been teaching them the skills of a shinobi._

" _Aniki! Get Kazuma and Kazuto! I won't let anything harm us! I promise!" Emi called over the clanging of steel clashing with steel._

 _Hisashi glanced back, his violet eyes widening slightly in alarm. "Emi, no! I can't let you do that!" He protested, though he knew that while he could carry both twins without trouble, Emi could not._

" _Aniki! Trust me! Remember that dragon's blood runs through my veins just as much as it does yours! You don't have to protect me anymore!" Emi shouted back, drawing the two ninjato she kept strapped to her back and waist, even as she slept._

 _Agony tore through Hisashi's expression at the decision he had before him, but without any more hesitation, he scooped the twins up in his arms and took off with Emi by his side._

 _Almost immediately, they were intercepted by the Daimyo's shinobi. Recognition flared on their faces, as if they had been told to look out for them. Emi flew into action without hesitation. She was not physically strong, but she had incredible stamina and speed. Hisashi had worked with her on honing those skills as much as possible. She knew that it didn't matter much that you were strong if you weren't also fast._

 _Emi didn't hesitate in striking when she got close enough. She was already a killer, so what did a few more bodies matter in the grand scheme of things, especially if it meant that her family would stay safe and sound?_

 _Blood sprayed around her as she killed her opponents without a second thought. She was Hoshizora no Yoru no Emi, after all. Normally her attacks were executed in the dead of night, when no stars shone in the sky, which had given her her name._

 _Emi cleared the path before them, driven only by the desire to keep her family safe. It wasn't that she was brave. She was terrified out of her mind, but she could not lose anyone else. The faces of everyone she had lost floated in the forefront of her mind, driving her to fight harder to protect what they had given their lives to protect. Kotaro; love and the belief that there was a better life out there. Ikki; sacrifice for the sake of his family. Sayuri; love for her children so strong that she was willing to give up everything she had ever known to provide a future for them._

 _She felt as if they fought alongside her, giving her the strength to savagely tear apart anyone who dared to take those ideals and her family from her. For the first time in her life, she was fighting back out in the open rather than in the shadows._

 _Emi didn't care that she was wading deeper and deeper into a river of blood. It tainted her soul, she knew, but she also knew that what she was doing couldn't be all bad because it was for the sake of those she loved. Either way, she supposed that Kuraokami would judge her sins when her death rose to meet her. She would not succumb to death easily, though. She would go down fighting, dragging down as many of her enemies down with her to hell. It was the path she had chosen, and she was not afraid to walk it anymore._

" _Emi, watch out!" Hisashi called as Azusa burst out of nowhere, blood dripping from a shallow cut above her eye. She had both her wakizashi and katana drawn from their sheaths._

 _Emi spun around, managing to block the blow that would have taken off her head. It unbalanced her, causing her to stumble backwards with the strength of the blow. She narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth like a feral animal. "Get. Out. Of. My. WAY!" She snarled, managing to recover from the strength of the blow and make her own attack._

 _Azusa said nothing, mad laughter bubbling up from between her lips. She parried Emi's attack, and used the opening to thrust her katana through her defenses._

 _Nimbly, Emi shifted to the side just enough to keep the blade from hitting any of her vital organs, but not enough to keep the blade from slashing her side enough for her to back off. Quickly, she leapt backwards, and put one hand over the wound, unable to staunch the bleeding immediately._

" _Emi, forget about attacking her! We need to run!" Hisashi shouted, unable to hide the panic creeping into his voice._

 _Hearing the panic in her older brother's voice, Emi backed away. Then she turned and fled, making sure that her brother stayed in front of her with the twins._

 _However, there was nowhere to go. Everywhere they turned, it was a battlefield. The best they could do was shelter beneath a pair of giant, gnarled trees. For the moment, it was safe. Besides, Emi couldn't go much farther without treating her wound._

 _Hisashi set the twins down, making sure they were sheltered out of harm's way. Then, quietly, he went to his little sister's side to examine the wound she had received. It was deep, but not life-threatening, much to his relief._

 _Gently, he grabbed the roll of bandages from his pouch, and began wrapping the wound Emi had received tightly to staunch the bleeding. "Emi...I'm going to stop her. I need you to get Kazuto and Kazuma away. Something tells me that she won't stop pursuing us unless I do something about it. I need to make sure that you three are all safe. Run, and I will catch up."_

 _Emi shook her head quickly. "No! I won't leave you behind! You can't leave me, too!"_

 _Hisashi's expression grew sad, but remained resolved, as if there were nothing she could do to change his mind. "Emi, please do as I say. You have to protect the twins for Sayuri. I'll do what I can to come back to you, but if I can't, you will be the only one left to protect Kazuma and Kazuto. They are the reason we fled, and the reason I am fighting." He took a scroll from his belt and placed it in her hands. "This has every treasure we brought with us from home. Protect it. I love you, Emi, and I'm sorry, but this is what I must do." He pulled her into a tight hug, and Emi could tell that he didn't want to go as much as she didn't want him to._

" _I understand, aniki…" Emi whispered, squeezing her eyes shut tightly to stop the tears from falling. "I love you, too…"_

 _Hisashi let go of her, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. He turned to the twins and crouched down to their level. He pulled them into a tight hug. "Kazuma, Kazuto, I need you to be good for Emi. Do whatever she tells you to. I have to go away for a while. Emi will keep you safe. She always has and always will." He glanced up at his little sister, a knowing look on his face. He knew exactly what she'd been doing to keep them safe. A moment later, he glanced down at the twins again. "I love you two, and don't ever forget that." He pulled away, and took off the necklaces that he had always worn, placing the one with the crescent moon pendant around Kazuto's neck. He placed the necklace with the sun pendant around Kazuma's neck. "Keep these safe for me, and don't ever forget that you are a part of the Shiraishi clan. We may be a small clan, but we never give up. A dragon's blood flows through your veins, and you have inherited its strength. Stay strong."_

 _The twins nodded, wiping at the tears that streamed down their identical faces. When Hisashi let go of them, they went to Emi's side, each taking one of her hands._

 _Emi stared at her last surviving brother for a moment before turning away with the twins. She pulled them along quickly into the trees, but circled around with them so that she could watch her brother. She made certain that the twins were safe, using her own body to shield them from whatever may come their way._

 _Hisashi strode confidently into the center of a nearby clearing, not at all worried about the jutsu and weapons flying back forth across the battlefield. He didn't have to stand there for long. Azusa came hurtling out of the trees to face him._

 _Emi couldn't bring herself to leave without at least seeing the outcome of her brother's battle. She couldn't leave him to face it all alone. Changing their course, she found a tall, old tree to shelter in, knowing that it's sturdy branches would protect them from whatever happened. She helped the twins up and climbed up beside them, a hiss of pain escaping her lips as her wound throbbed._

 _A moment later, several shinobi came to stand below the tree, but didn't venture further. As Emi studied them, she realized that they were part of the Uchiha clan. Their hair was as dark as hers was, but their eyes were far different; red and swirling with darks marks she didn't quite recognize. She clamped a hand over Kazuma's mouth as he began to ask a question. She knew that the Uchiha were not their enemies, but she didn't want to draw any attention to the twins._

 _When she was sure that the Uchiha hadn't noticed them, Emi turned her attention back to her brother and Azusa. Neither had struck, and were instead circling each other; Hisashi with his kusarigama, made entirely of his own blood and frozen; Azusa with her katana and wakizashi, muttering madly to the skull on the end of the shorter sword._

 _With a jolt, Emi realized whose skull it was on the end of the wakizashi Azusa carried. It hadn't made sense to her why the Daimyo would have such a large skull on the end of her blade; it was impractical and unwieldy. She understood now. It made her sick to think that the Daimyo would put her own brother's skull on the end of her blade, instead of letting him rest in peace. She closed her eyes for a moment and put her hand to her chest. "My brother will give you a chance to rest in peace." She whispered to Yoshihisa's spirit, having no idea that he wasn't there watching the battle, but instead trapped in the place he had been killed, eternally seeking out the one he had been willing to give up everything for._

 _A sudden clash between ice and steel jerked her out of her thoughts. Hisashi had managed to wrap the chain of his kusarigama around Azusa's katana, while he blocked a blow from her wakizashi with the razor-sharp blade._

" _Why can't you let us live in peace?!" Hisashi snarled, thrusting his foot into her stomach and sending her flying backwards._

 _Azusa dropped her katana, but kept a tight grip on her wakizashi as she slammed into the ground. She rose to her feet a moment later, a dark expression on her face. "Yoshihisa is dead because of you!" She was almost frothing at the mouth, spittle flying from her lips._

" _I never met your brother!" Hisashi countered, spinning the weighted end of his kusarigama in preparation for her next attack. "Quit feeling sorry for yourself, you worthless tyrant! You're not the only who has suffered!"_

" _What the fuck would you know?! You're one of them! You're responsible for my brother's death! It's my job to avenge him!" Azusa flew at him, moving quickly enough to avoid a blow to the head from the weighted end of Hisashi's kusarigama. "You're stupid if you think I'm going to let this go! And even more stupid if you think that I never learned to counter a kusarigama wielder!"_

 _Hisashi hastily swung down with the blade, managing to guard against the blade. "Then prepare to feel the wrath of the lives you've taken on your path to revenge! You've been in power for far too long, and clearly you know nothing about what it is to rule a country! Any competent leader would put their people first! I fight not just for my family, forsaken by their country, but for the people suffering under your rule! It's time for your rule to end! I may not be a citizen of the Land of Fire, but for today I will be the people's hope!"_

 _Emi couldn't take it anymore. She turned to the twins, ruffling their hair. "Stay put. I have to fight with my brother, but I will be back for you. I promise you that." She leapt out of the tree, much to the surprise of the Uchiha on the ground, who had been so focused on what Hisashi was saying to have noticed her. She darted away from the tree to join her brother facing Azusa._

" _I have lived half of my life here, and half of my life in the Land of Water, but I have lived my entire life under the rule of tyrants! For not a day longer will I live that way! I am no longer a citizen of the Land of Water! Today, I fight as a kunoichi of fire! With Hisashi by my side, I will be the flame of hope that never burns out! I will be the wind that fans that flame, the wood that feeds that flame!" Emi glanced at her brother for the briefest moment before turning her fiercely proud gaze back to Azusa. "Aniki, we've been losing this whole time because we've been fighting our battles all alone. We're the Shiraishi clan, and no matter how small we are, we stand and fight together! As for you…" She stared at Azusa, her eyes burning like twin violet flames. "You are nothing but the cold that flees the flames of hope because you have lost hope yourself. You have no fire inside you; just the ashes of what was and what will never be."_

 _Azusa snarled, scrambling to retrieve her katana. She opened her mouth to speak, but Emi cut her off._

 _Emi glanced around, meeting the gazes of each member of the Uchiha and Senju clans that was present. "Uchiha, Senju, let us prove ourselves capable. Let us prove that we fight for the Land of Fire, not the home we were born in, but the home we chose for ourselves!" She turned her attention back to Azusa, not seeing the heads of each clan nod once to her in respect._

" _Emi…" Hisashi stared at his little sister for a moment. Then he steeled his resolve, and prepared his kusarigama._

 _Azusa retrieved her katana and glared at the siblings. "I'll crush you!" Her voice rose into a shriek of rage._

" _Even if it ends in our deaths, we're taking you down with us! I'll drag you down to hell myself!" Emi sprang into action, and for a moment Azusa seemed startled by the intense fire in the kunoichi's eyes. She unsheathed her pair of ninjato, striking at Azusa with such speed and force that Azusa struggled to keep up with each blow._

 _Hisashi used the distraction to begin swinging the weighted end of his kusarigama, building up enough force to crush Azusa's skull, should the blow land. Trusting Emi to duck, he swung the weight, yanking it back viciously when it had wrapped itself around her katana once more. The blade went soaring through the air, landing too far out of reach for Azusa to attempt retrieving it._

 _Emi resumed her attack, ignoring the pain her wound caused her. She could feel the blood soaking through the makeshift bandage her brother had applied earlier. It was a bad sign, she knew, but she could not waver or stop her onslaught._

 _A chill ran down her spine when Azusa suddenly smiled, looking deranged and out of her mind. She redoubled her efforts, blocking Emi's attacks more quickly, and then their roles reversed and Emi was blocking Azusa's attacks._

 _It was Hisashi who cried out in alarm when Azusa's first blow landed, the blade dragging across Emi's jawline jaggedly. Blood spattered the ground and ran down her throat in crimson rivulets._

 _Emi cried out, stumbling backwards unsteadily. While she took a moment to steady herself, Hisashi took her place attacking Azusa. He kept her at bay easily, but had difficulty landing any heavy blows, the most he managed being a graze across her shoulder. Her blood spattered the ground, joining Emi's and soaking deeply into the soil._

 _Hisashi shifted to the side when Emi returned in full force. Together, Azusa could not deflect all of their blows. The best she managed was avoiding anything fatal. However, nothing seemed to slow her down._

 _When the grass had been stained crimson with blood, Emi, growing tired, made a choice. She drew her fingers across her bleeding jawline and slammed her thumb to the ground. The earth around them began to tremble. "Aid us, Ku-"_

 _Hisashi slapped a hand over her mouth, and the ground ceased its trembling. "No! You can't summon him!" Stopping her from whatever, whoever, she had been about to summon had a high price._

 _Azusa saw her chance and thrust her blade up between Hisashi's ribs as soon as she saw that he was distracted. Hisashi doubled over, blood bubbling up from between his lips. "Tell me, why do you fight for a country you do not, and will not ever, belong to?" Azusa hissed._

" _Because...it's where the moon met the sun! Kotaro put...his love and faith into this...country...for your brother. For so long...we have lived in...the cold shadows, and now...we want to live in the light!" Hisashi coughed, but reached out and clamped one hand around her wrists. "We want the light of...the sun to burn away our...fears! And...for my sister's children...to live their lives...with the warmth and love...that we never received!"_

 _Emi's eyes widened as she realized what her brother was about to do. "Aniki, no! You'll die!" She immediately latched onto her brother's arm, watching his free hand form the signs that would kill anyone too close. In her heart, she knew that Hisashi was already dying, and that there would be nothing she could do to save._

 _Hisashi shoved her to the side with his shoulder while completing the hand seals. His grip on Azusa's wrists loosened, and he cried out as she twisted the blade, driving it deeper through his lungs._

 _Emi stumbled back several steps as the ground began quaking beneath them. The blood that had soaked into the soil froze and began to expand much farther than what would have been possible naturally._

" _Goodbye...Emi...I love you…" Hisashi slowly turned his gaze to Azusa. "Good...try, but I'm taking you to hell...with me…" He grasped her wrists with both hands this time, keeping her from letting go._

 _Once the ground below them had parted completely, replaced completely by crimson ice, Hisashi smiled serenely and closed his eyes. Blood dripped from between his lips, but it was the happiest he had ever looked. A death grip on Azusa's hands kept her from freeing herself as the ice melted rapidly with Hisashi's death. Within seconds the ice had melted completely, and both Hisashi and Azusa went crashing down below into the dark abyss below, their bodies never to be recovered._

 _Emi stared at the spot where her last living brother had disappeared with wide eyes. Hands trembling, she backed up quickly. She had lost the last of her siblings forever. Tears dripped down her face, and, unable to take it, she turned and fled back to the tree where the twins were hidden. She ignored the Uchiha clan below it and leapt right into the tree._

 _Unable to bear staying there a moment longer, she helped the twins out of the tree. Without a word to either the Senju or Uchiha clans, she fled with the twins._

 _Like her brother had vanished into the abyss he had created, Emi vanished into mystery, only rumors hinting at her continued existence._

* * *

Having gotten the leaf shinobi a tour guide for the day to show them around the rest of the village, Jin stood in front of his parent's house. Heart thumping wildly, he could feel dread knotting in the pit of his stomach, and wondered if he had any other options.

He didn't. He needed to retrieve his biological father's things from his mother and give both of his parents however much money he could afford. It wasn't much, and he knew deep in his heart that this encounter would end the same as all the rest.

It frustrated him to no end. He was a shinobi! Part of ANBU, and part of the even more elite hunter nin, for fuck's sake! It didn't help in the slightest. No matter what skills he gained and no matter what types of missions he took, he still froze when his stepfather became violent. When confronted with that, he became the child that had been beaten into submission again.

Taking a deep breath, Jin steeled his nerves and marched up to the door. He hesitated only a moment before knocking.

It was several moments before the door open. He was greeted with the imposing form of his stepfather, the pleasant smile sliding right off his face. To the rest of the community, his stepfather was a hero and a great community leader. His mother's activities were a secret, and no one knew of what went on behind closed doors. After all, who would believe a child that his 'kind' and 'virtuous' father could even be capable of such things? He'd been isolated from the very beginning.

"Who's at the door, Kyoya?" Jin's mother called in a silky purr.

Kyoya was an imposing man; tall and well-built. He had difficulty blending into the general public because he was so bulky, while Jin had no problem blending in with his athletic build. His stepfather's hair was a muddy brown, lacking any real vibrancy, and his eyes were just the same.

Kyoya stuck his head out the door, glancing around to make sure no one was looking, before grabbing Jin and yanking him into the house none too kindly. He slammed the door shut and shoved Jin down. "It's your brat." He grunted, expression cold and hateful. It was a side of him that no one outside the house ever saw.

Jin put his hand on the wall to keep himself from falling the whole way down. With a heavy sigh, he began rummaging through the inside pocket of his coat, hands trembling. He managed to retrieve all the money he could afford to give his parents and handed it over.

While his father counted it up, he glanced over at his mother, who had stuck her head around the corner. She gazed at Jin coldly, her violet eyes bloodshot. She had been a very beautiful woman once, but time and rough treatment had worn away her good looks. Her dark blonde hair was streaked with grey now, but she still held herself with the dignity of a woman who wouldn't take shit from anyone. She disappeared from view a moment later, once her husband had finished counting the money, and returned to whatever she was doing.

"You're short by more than half of what you owe us." Kyoya's words made Jin stiffen. He slowly turned to look at his stepfather, eyes widening.

"Ahh...I'm sorry, I know I'm short by a lot, but I thought I would just bring you what I could for now, and uh, bring you the rest later...I'm really sorry…" Jin bowed his head, knowing that he would be hit any moment now.

It would not be a good day.

Limping home slowly, Jin carried two large boxes in his arms. He paused for a moment and set the boxes down to pull his scarf up above his nose. That way, it hid all the bruises and cuts. He had succeeded in his task, but had decided to wait to go home until he was sure that the leaf shinobi would be fast asleep. He didn't want any of them to see him this way.

It was dark now, the clouds covering even the brightest stars. Snow fell in tiny flakes all around him. Normally, the sight would have made him smile, but as it was now, he could hardly register the steps he was taking towards home.

Picking up the boxes again, he continued home. When the familiar house came into view, he couldn't help but quicken his pace. Even though he knew that Raizo was long gone, just being in a place that had been a safe haven for him reassured him that he would be okay.

He stopped once he reached the door, and without putting the boxes down, opened the door. He slipped inside silently, and nudged the door shut with his foot. He silently walked to the kitchen and set the boxes down on the counter.

His hands shooks, and not from the cold. Jin wrapped his arms around himself, standing in the dark kitchen for a moment before turning and silently heading towards his room. He hoped Kakashi would be sleeping right now. He wasn't sure he could keep it together in front of him.

Jin opened the door slowly and slipped inside. He closed it again with a soft 'click' freezing when Kakashi turned the lamp on. He turned around slowly, pulling the scarf more tightly around his face. Thankfully the rest of his cuts and bruises were hidden beneath the rest of his clothes.

Kakashi sat up in the bed and peered at Jin sleepily. He still wore his mask, but he had taken his headband off, his scar clearly visible, though he kept that eye closed. His hair was a bit messier than usual, Jin noticed as he tried to think of something to say.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked, slowly getting up. As well as Jin had tried to hide it, he wasn't good at lying.

Already, tears were forming in his eyes, and Jin averted his eyes to avoid looking at Kakashi. He stayed silent, head down, as Kakashi slowly approached him. He stiffened, but didn't protest when Kakashi made him look up at him.

Kakashi slowly unwound the scarf from around Jin's face, frowning. His eye widened slightly when he saw the bruises and the cut along his cheekbone. Now that he looked more closely, he could see the faint discoloration of a bruise under Jin's hair, just above his ear. His hand stilled, resting just above one of his bruises.

"What happened?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thank you guys so much for reading, and I'm so sorry that it once again took such a long time to update! I appreciate your patience! This chapter is a bit longer than the last one, so I hope you enjoy it! I've also realized that Remnants is now over 90k words, and I'm not even halfway done with writing this story, so I hope you're ready for more! Once again, thank you so so much for reading! Feel free to leave your thoughts, as I would love to hear them!**

 **Trisana: I'm so glad you loved that last part! I really enjoyed writing it, and it's certainly not the last you'll be seeing of those two, so keep an eye out...**

 **sarahgri99: I'm glad you're enjoying how the plot is progressing so far! Hopefully this chapter gives a little more insight...there's also a little bit of subtle foreshadowing in this chapter, though I do wonder if perhaps it's a bit _too_ subtle. Oh well, I suppose. Certain things will make sense soon! Thank you so much for reading!**


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"I...it's nothing. I just...I tripped and...and fell down a set of...stairs…" It wasn't _exactly_ a lie. He _had_ taken a tumble down a flight of stairs, but someone had 'helped' him fall. That didn't explain the majority of his bruises and cuts, though.

Kakashi didn't question him, though Jin could tell he didn't believe. "Sit down." Kakashi guided him over to the bed and had him sit down, keeping from touching him too much. He didn't know how badly he had 'fallen,' and didn't want to cause him anymore pain. "You hit your head." He commented, looking more closely at the bruise just above his ear. He hadn't quite managed to clean up all the blood, so some of his hair had been frozen stiff with his blood on the cold walk home.

"I...I'm okay…" Jin kept his eyes averted, reaching up with trembling hands to tighten the scarf around his neck. He couldn't help that Kakashi had seen the state of his face, but he didn't want him to see his throat. He couldn't pass those bruises off as something that had happened in a tumble down a flight of stairs.

His stepfather had not been happy when he hadn't gotten all the money he wanted. He'd taken it out cruelly on Jin. It was the same as it had always been, but it had gotten much worse as time went on. Seven years away with few visits in between had prevented quite a few incidents like this one, since he and Raizo had been staying with Hakaru in Kiri because of an increase of missions in need of their particular skills. In that time, he had been sending money with one of the many messenger owls that were reserved just for trips up the mountain. Most other birds couldn't survive the harsh temperatures and frequent, sudden blizzards.

"You're not okay." Kakashi sat beside him, tipping Jin's head to the side so that he could examine the bruise, and the cut that had bloodied his hair. Resting his hand on Jin's cheek to keep him still, he examined the cut, rather relieved when it turned out to be minor. "Stay put." Kakashi got up and went to the bathroom attached to the room.

Jin stared at his lap for a moment before putting his hand on his cheek, where Kakashi's hand had rested a moment before. He didn't deserve a friend like Kakashi. He was a liar and worthless; a waste of space that didn't deserve such kind treatment.

Kakashi returned a moment later with a damp washcloth. "What really happened?" He asked, dabbing at the cut above Jin's ear. When Jin didn't answer, he frowned and slowly reached for the scarf.

Jin offered no resistance, getting the feeling that Kakashi wouldn't let it go. Kakashi pulled the scarf down, his hand stilling when he saw the dark bruises mottling his throat in the perfect shape of a hand. "...who did this to you?" His voice quiet.

"I told you. I...fell down the stairs…" Jin lied feebly, knowing that there was no way that Kakashi would believe him. After all, the bruises he had couldn't all have come from falling down the stairs. "Please...just drop it…"

Kakashi wasn't happy about it, but let the subject drop for the moment, deciding instead to see how many more cuts or bruises he may have. Slowly and gently, so as not to startle him, he unzipped Jin's coat and helped him take it off, flinging it onto the small table next to the bed. Receiving no resistance from Jin, he carefully checked over his arms. "Sit still. I'll get Hakaru." He stood up and turned to leave.

Jin reached out and caught his wrist before he could. "Don't." He whispered. "Let him sleep. I...I'm okay. I just…"

Kakashi frowned and returned to his side. "What is it?" He asked quietly.

Jin hesitated for a moment before looking up at Kakashi. He stared at him for a moment, touched by the concern he saw in his expression. He looked down again, considering his words carefully. "Forgive my selfishness, but...can I just...be close to you? You're a good friend, Hatake-sama...Kakashi…" He didn't even realize that he had called Kakashi by his first name. "And...and I don't want you to get the wrong idea...but…" He reached up trying to rub away his tears. "I don't want to mess up our friendship...or for you to take this...the wrong way…" He bit his lip, letting his hand drop into his lap. "Can I just...lie beside you…?"

For several long moments, Kakashi said nothing.

"I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...I shouldn't have asked. Forgive me…" Jin said, unable to take the long silence. He stood up slowly, putting most of his weight on his left leg. He was sure that he had at the very least sprained his ankle, if not fractured it. Pain radiated up his leg, and he winced.

"Lie down." Kakashi said, catching his wrist before he could move away. "Take your shoes off."

Jin glanced back, his eyes widening slightly. He sat right back down, though, and slowly took his shoes off. He glanced at Kakashi, then glanced away. "Thank you...this really...it really means a lot to me...it...helps me calm down after...incidents...accidents like these...I know that that doesn't make a lot of sense because I don't...don't like being touched all that much...but...it really does help, so...thank you…"

Kakashi didn't answer, instead examining his ankle. He let out a small sigh. "You should ice this for now to reduce the swelling." He looked up just in time for Jin to wrap his arms around him tightly.

Jin rested his head against Kakashi's chest and closed his eyes, letting the sound of his steady heartbeat soothe. "Thank you for caring." He whispered. "I'm sorry for overstepping my bounds like this, but…" He trailed off, frowning a little. He went to pull away, only to feel Kakashi's arms wrap around him awkwardly. It was strange, as if Kakashi wasn't used to this sort of interaction. He could feel how stiff and awkward Kakashi was, and couldn't help but smile a little. He pulled away. "Thank you."

He got up without waiting for an answer and grabbed a set of pajamas, limping heavily to the bathroom. He shut the door and changed slowly, taking a moment to stare at himself in the mirror. He hadn't realized how bad he looked until now. He glanced down at his ankle and frowned. He determined that it was just sprained, and thankfully not broken. He sighed and finished changing, returning to his room a moment later.

Kakashi was already lying down on one side of the bed, leaving plenty of room for Jin to crawl under the covers next to him. Jin hesitated for a moment before limping over to the empty side of the bed. As he crawled under the covers, Kakashi clicked the lamp off, plunging the room into darkness.

Jin rolled over to stare at Kakashi's back. "Thank you." He whispered, closing his eyes. "I really appreciate this."

"Get some rest, and feel better." Kakashi replied quietly. "Good night."

Jin couldn't help but smile. "Good night…"

* * *

The last thing Kakashi expected to wake up to was Jin curled up against him, head rested against his shoulder. As pretty as he was, he was not attractive when he was sleeping. Drool dried to the side of his face, hair sticking up in all directions. It was rather endearing in a strange sort of way. It was sort of refreshing to see that Jin wasn't pretty all the time. The bruises helped with that, but he had the suspicion that Jin just wasn't a pretty sleeper.

Sitting up slowly, he carefully shifted Jin so that he didn't wake him. He watched him for a moment, frowning. Spotting the head wound once more, his frown deepened a little, and he put his hand close to Jin's face to check that he was still breathing. It had just occurred to him that he could have suffered a concussion. He let out a sigh of relief when Jin's breath tickled his hand. His breathing was slow and steady, a good sign.

With a sigh, Kakashi got up and grabbed a set of clean clothes. He went and changed in the bathroom, covering his Sharingan with his headband. His students were no doubt already up and causing some sort of trouble. Though Naruto wasn't here, Sakura and Sasuke were both good at causing their own brand of trouble.

He left the room once he had finished, and glanced at Jin, who remained sleeping peacefully. He decided not to wake him, and left the room. He made his way to the kitchen, noticing that it was awfully quiet. Perhaps he'd woken before the others had.

Yui and Hakaru were in the kitchen, rifling through two large boxes on the counter. "Yo." He greeted, watching as Hakaru leapt away quickly, a guilty expression on his face. Yui didn't even flinch.

"There's not much to eat right now, so if you're hungry you can go get breakfast for us." Yui said, pulling a pair of necklaces from one of the boxes. One with a pendant shaped like the sun, and the other shaped like the moon. Each were filled with something red, and the outsides were covered with whatever was inside them.

"Mm...what's going on out here? You guys are awful chirpy...rather, _you're_ rather chirpy, Takigawa-hime." Jin spoke up from behind him.

Jin rubbed his eyes and frowned a bit. He realized what Yui was doing and shook his head, not bothering to protest. Instead, he shuffled further into the kitchen, and rummaged through the cabinets until he found what he was looking for; instant coffee. He shuffled around the kitchen, setting up the coffee pot to brew.

"Of course I am! Someone left a bunch of boxes on the counter, so I decided to go through them!" Yui said honestly.

"I see. Go ahead, then. Coffee will be ready in a few minutes. Do you want some, Hatake-sama? You get first dibs because you weren't going through my things without permission." Jin glanced at Kakashi, smiling faintly at him.

"...that's not what you called me last night. You used my first name then. I much prefer that." Kakashi commented, but nodded in response to his question.

"...what were you guys doing last night that had Jin-san using your first name?" Sakura asked from behind them. "He _never_ does that, unless...you two were…?"

Jin froze when Sakura said. He knew where this was going. "We were _not_ doing what you're thinking, Haruno-hime." He couldn't keep from blushing, though. "I'm not the sort of person to do that."

"You get paid to sleep with people." Sasuke pointed out bluntly as he entered the kitchen.

"That's not-" Jin was cut off by a gasp from Sakura.

"What happened?!" She asked, noticing his bruises for the first time.

"Oh, yes, I was going to ask that, too." Yui said, putting the two necklaces down and retrieving a pair of earrings in the shapes of two tiny dragons. "You look like you wrestled a bear or something."

"I fell down a flight of stairs." Jin replied, averting his eyes. He said nothing more as Hakaru came over, hands already glowing with the green healing chakra he was so efficient at using. He let Hakaru do as he pleased, grateful for the pain to fade away.

"I didn't realize that flights of stairs had hands." Yui commented, examining the earrings with a fond familiarity.

Jin automatically covered his throat with his hands, only for Hakaru to move them aside in favor of healing the nasty bruises that mottled his throat. "How about we go ice skating today? I know a good spot that's safe and easy to get to." He changed the subject. All he wanted to do right now was escape to his special spot, where he could be all alone with his thoughts, but he had to make sure that his guests weren't bored.

"...we don't know how." Sakura pointed out awkwardly.

Jin raised an eyebrow. "So? I'll teach you guys. It's a lot of fun. We can borrow some skates for you guys. I might have a spare set around here somewhere that would fit one of you...I've been skating my whole life…" He waited patiently until Hakaru had finished tending to his cuts and bruises, as well as his ankle. Then he turned and went to his room, returning several moments later with two sets of ice skates. "Uchiha-sama, I think these might fit you." He handed of the smaller pair of skates, and the larger pair to Kakashi. "I think these might fit you. They're mine, but I uh, can make my own skates. Before we do anything, though, I think coffee and breakfast is in order."

Kakashi set the skates down for the moment, and went to pour himself a cup, Sakura and Sasuke watching him intently.

Meanwhile, Jin opened up a cupboard, pulling out a whole cinnamon stick from a sealed bag. He offered it to Kakashi. "Cinnamon?"

* * *

 _Kotaro was a gentle soul. Very little fazed him, and he was slow to anger. To protect and care for was in his nature, something that nothing could ever change. Though it took much to anger him, once he'd lost it, he would wreak havoc like a god of war, destroying whatever had set him off like the dragon god he served. Kotaro the Dragon Warrior was not someone to be trifled with._

 _Hell's fury was nothing compared to the rage Kotaro felt now. Though they had only known each other for little over a month, Kotaro was head-over-heels in love with Yoshihisa, and he would not stand for someone harming his love._

 _Yoshihisa stood very still, eyes wide and frightened. An enemy shinobi stood pressed up behind him, wicked sharp blade held to Yoshihisa's delicate throat. "Get any closer, and I'll cut his pretty little head off!" He warned, pressing the blade against his skin harder. Droplets of blood bubbled up and dripped down his throat slowly._

" _It's okay, Kotaro." Yoshihisa said in that soft voice of his. "I'll be fine." He sounded surprisingly calm. "Please go take care of my little sister."_

 _Kotaro shook his head slowly, taking a step closer. At that moment, the enemy shinobi threw something down on the ground, and a cloud of smoke burst up around both him and Yoshihisa. When it cleared, they were gone, and Kotaro was angrier._

 _More than that, though, Kotaro was scared. He had never felt like this about someone before. He couldn't lose Yoshihisa again. The temperature in the room dropping ten degrees, Kotaro steeled his resolve. He would make good on his promise to search endlessly for him._

 _For a week, Kotaro hunted for leads, threatening anyone he came across with a brutal death unless they told him what he wanted to know. There was nothing more frightening than the wrath of a gentle man._

 _It wasn't long before the Dragon Warrior learned what he needed to know, and journeyed to where Yoshihisa was supposedly being kept. He had not slept since Yoshihisa had gone missing, and had barely eaten. Nevertheless, he was prepared to do whatever it took to get him back._

 _Kotaro didn't bother sneaking into the fortress, instead storming it directly from the front. None of the shinobi stood a chance. With a flick of his wrist, spears of ice launched at his opponents, lodging themselves deeply into their fragile bodies, while his own stayed encased in near-impenetrable ice._

 _No one could stop Kotaro, and they soon realized that he was on a whole different level than they were. They fled en masse, fearing the wrath of what they assumed to be a god in a mortal's skin._

 _He wasn't, of course. Some blows landed on him hard, his ice freezing them over temporarily. The Land of Fire had never been so cold before. A blizzard followed in Kotaro's wake, one far larger than any other that had been seen anywhere except the highest peaks in the Land of Water._

 _Snow began to swirl around his feet, and his eyes were like violet chips of ice, so cold they could freeze even the most battle hardened shinobi in his tracks._

 _Kotaro stormed through the fortress like a force of nature, forcing himself into every room to check for Yoshihisa. It didn't take long to find him._

 _He flung the door open, eyes widening when spotted Yoshihisa chained to the wall, gagged and clearly unable to speak. Blood ran down his face and into one of his beautiful eyes. Weakly, he lifted his head. The one eye he was able to open widened in surprise when he recognized Kotaro._

 _Almost immediately, Yoshihisa began shaking his head and trying to speak. His gaze shifted to over his shoulder._

 _As soon as Kotaro had spotted Yoshihisa, his gaze had softened, and his defenses had fallen. He didn't expect the blade that was thrust all the way through his lower abdomen. Slowly, he looked down, staring at the long blade protruding from below his ribs. Blood dripped off the end of the blade, slowly forming a puddle on the floor._

 _Yoshihisa struggled violently against his restraints, his cries for Kotaro muffled. Desperation lent him strength, and as he continued tugging on his restraints, the chains began shaking loose from the wall._

 _Just as the shinobi twisted the blade and removed it from Kotaro, the chains snapped. Yoshihisa lunged forward and caught Kotaro as he began to fall. He wrapped his arms around him tightly, barely able to hold him up._

 _He looked up into his eyes, his own tearing up. "It'll be okay." He whispered as the gag slipped off his face, clasping Kotaro's hand. His gaze focused on the enemy shinobi for a moment, and he made his decision. He was going to break the most important rule his father had put in place. "Trust me. This won't hurt."_

 _Keeping his eye on the enemy shinobi, who merely watched in amusement, he removed Kotaro's glove and clasped his bare hand. He closed his eye and concentrated._

 _Slowly, a strange pattern began to take shape on Kotaro's hand, resembling a strange tattoo. It bloomed up past his wrist before stopping, and Yoshihisa smiled faintly at him. "Forgive me for copying you…"_

 _Ice began to spread out from Yoshihisa's feet, but it was not Kotaro's doing. It spread until it reached the shinobi that had kidnapped him, and then began to climb up his legs, freezing him in place. No matter how hard the shinobi struggled, he could not free himself from the ice. It was only moments until he was completely encased in ice. He would not survive._

" _...Yoshihisa." Kotaro whispered, staring at him adoringly. Slowly, as if he couldn't move any faster, he wrapped his arms tightly around Yoshihisa. "I'll get us out of here." Ice began to form over both sides of his wound, and he winced slightly._

 _Drawing in a ragged breath, Kotaro straightened up. He knew his wound was bad and needed to be treated, but he also knew that it wasn't safe to stay there any longer. Once they were safe, they could rest and tend to their wounds._

 _Yoshihisa snaked his arm around Kotaro's waist, and slipped Kotaro's arm around his neck so that he could help him walk. "Lean on me. I'll support you." He promised softly._

" _You're injured." Kotaro pointed out, his hand brushing against a cut above Yoshihisa's eye. He was so relieved that Yoshihisa was well enough to be as kind as always. He would never forgive himself for letting him be taken in the first place, but at least now he would be safe._

" _Not as badly as you are." Yoshihisa helped him along, allowing Kotaro to point the way out. "I'm not in danger of bleeding out. Please allow me to help you this time. You have already done more than enough for me." Chains jangling around his wrist, he reached up and caressed Kotaro's cheek._

" _Very well…" Kotaro agreed, leaning his head against Yoshihisa's gently._

 _The pair made their way out of the fortress without trouble, and made for the trees. They would be safe there for the moment. It wasn't long before they couldn't move any farther. Yoshihisa helped Kotaro sit down, leaned against a tree, and collapsed next to him._

 _A moment later, Yoshihisa sat up and scooted closer to Kotaro. He leaned over and examined the iced over wound, tears beginning to form in his eyes. He could tell that it was bad, but he didn't know what to do about it. He had no medical training._

 _Kotaro wrapped his arm around Yoshihisa slowly, and pulled him close against him. He began to stroke his hair gently, trying to calm him. "I'll be alright. Don't worry about me." He leaned his head back against the tree, staring up at the cloudless sky between the golden leaves._

 _Despite his worry, Yoshihisa felt safe in his arms. None of his bodyguards had ever made him feel as safe as Kotaro did. It was...different, but he liked it._

 _Kotaro treated him with a kindness he was not used to. Most everyone treated him like a deity; they'd put him on a pedestal without ever really knowing him. While Kotaro had always treated him as someone above his position, he had treated him as a human being, rather than some sort of mortal god. He had never shied away from touching him, or spoken to him with the reverence that everyone else did._

" _Promise you won't leave me, Kotaro." Yoshihisa whispered, barely an inch away from his ear. "Please."_

" _Of course. I told you that I would always be by your side the day we met. Even in death, I will be with you. But...I don't intend on dying anytime soon. Trust in me." Kotaro slowly looked back down at Yoshihisa. "Now, let me see what they've done to you…"_

* * *

Jin had to admit that teaching four stubborn kids and several dogs how to ice skate was harder than he had expected.

He had taken them down to the easiest lake to reach, just a short ways down the mountain. It was always frozen, and there was little danger of anyone falling through the ice because it was so thick. On the way down, he had told Kakashi that he could summon his ninken if he wanted to, since Kiba had Akamaru with him. In turn, he had summoned Banri. Now there were several ninken skidding across the ice clumsily, while Banri glided along gracefully.

Hakaru skated around the dogs and Banri, attempting to teach them how to properly skate, while Jin handled the task of trying to teach the four kids and Kakashi how to skate. "Okay, let's try. I know that it's difficult skating on such thin blades, but you'll get the hang of it."

Hinata raised her hand up slowly. "U-uh...c-could you show us how again please…?" She asked nervously, shifting awkwardly on her skates.

Jin nodded, offering her a smile. He stepped over onto the ice again, balancing on the skates as if he had been doing this his whole life. Slowly, he began to skate towards the center of the lake, building up speed as he went. He skated in large patterns around the lake, relaxing as he did so. Skating was a good way for him to relax.

He tensed up, though, when Pakkun bowled into Banri by mistake, sending the pair skidding right into his path. Quickly, Jin braced himself before leaping up into the air, managing to pass over above the summons. He spun in midair above them, and landed on the opposite side clumsily. He managed to stick the landing, though and heaved a sigh of relief as he skated slowly back to Kakashi and the kids.

"What a show off…" Sasuke muttered, rolling his eyes.

Jin frowned a bit, and slowed to a stop in front of them. "Whatcha mean by that? I'm a bit rusty. It's been a few years since I've done any actual skating. Well, skating that I don't have to make my own ice for." He tilted his head to the side.

"You're good at everything." Sasuke muttered again.

"My, my, you sound a bit jealous. I'm not good at everything, though. I didn't have tv or anything growing up here, so I had to get creative so that I didn't get bored. Skating is one of the things that I entertained myself with. I also studied flowers, and learned to read the stars whenever the nights were clear. I also had my 'job' and training for the academy, though I was only in the academy for about a year…" Jin began to ramble, looking up at the sky.

"But, Jin-san...when did you sleep?" Sakura asked curiously.

"I didn't do a lot of sleeping growing up. I was always too busy, and I never slept well, either. Now that I think about it, I still don't sleep very well. I don't think I've had a full nights' sleep since I was little." Jin frowned a bit, growing curious when he realized that he couldn't remember waking up even once in the middle of the night last night. It was odd because not even when he had slept in the safety of Raizo's arms had he slept through the whole night without waking. Shaking off those thoughts, he turned his attention back to Sakura and smiled at her. "I've always been too eager to learn to waste time sleeping."

That was only partly true. Sure, he had always been eager to learn, but it had more to do with the fact that it had never been safe to sleep for long at home. The nightmares that persisted even now hadn't helped either. His fate had been sealed the moment he had entered the academy.

"Jin-san, that's not good!" Sakura scolded, crossing her arms.

"Aww, just let it be. I'm gonna teach you guys how to skate, so let's not get distracted." Jin laughed softly, offering her a sheepish smile.

His expression darkened suddenly when he saw Sasuke's gaze shift to the bushes, and he lunged forward, grabbing the Uchiha's wrist before he could let loose the shuriken he had been about to throw.

"What the hell are you doing?! There's someone watching us!" Sasuke snarled at him.

"I know, Uchiha-sama, but they're not a threat!" Jin glanced at the bushes, his gaze softening. "You can come out now. It's okay."

The bushes rustled a little, and a little girl no older than five stepped out shyly. She looked down, black hair shielding her chubby face from view. "H-hi…" She whispered.

Jin let go of Sasuke's wrist and skated closer to the little girl. He crouched down to her level and smiled. "Hi. What's your name? Mine's Jin."

"...Runa…" She whispered, peeking up at Jin through the veil of hair. Her eyes widened just slightly. "Y-you…"

Jin reached out slowly, and pushed the hair out of her face, stiffening when he saw her face. Rage coursed through him, and he gently let her hair fall back in front of her face. "Hakaru-chan! Would you mind taking my place teaching everyone to skate? There's something I need to do." When Hakaru skated over and nodded, Jin smiled gently at Runa. "Runa-hime, how about we go talk somewhere else, okay?"

Runa nodded hesitantly, and took Jin's offered hand, blinking in surprise when she saw the icy blades of Jin's skates melt away. He had made his own skates this time.

Jin stood up and offered Kakashi a smile. "I'll be back soon. I'm just going to take Runa-hime home. Well…" He paused, wondering if he should tell the truth. He decided against it, instead deciding to tell him when he returned. "I'll explain later."

Without another word, he walked away with Runa. The pair slowly made their way up the mountain.

Once Jin was certain that they were out of earshot of the others, he crouched next to Runa, frowning. "Who did this to you?" He asked softly, brushing her black hair out of her face again.

Runa ducked her head for a moment before slowly up at Jin. Her entire face was a mess. Her face was mottled with bruises of varying shades and severity, as if she had had the shit beaten out of her. Worst of all, she was missing an eye, and judging by the dried blood and new scabbing, it was a very recent injury.

She didn't answer his question, instead staring at him with her one violet eye. "I saw you last night, from the closet." She whispered. "When you left, aniki asked about you. Father said that you are our useless brother."

Jin froze, his eyes widening in shock. What the hell did that mean? As far as he was aware, he didn't have any other siblings other than Kaoru, and Kaoru was certainly dead. "I see. Where's your aniki now?" He asked softly, voice trembling from what he'd just learned. How could he possibly have more siblings? He _had_ been gone for seven years, and when he _had_ been here, he had avoided his parents at all costs. He shook his head slowly. That wasn't what mattered now. This little girl had been hurt badly by someone and, little sister or not, he would make sure no one ever hurt her again. He could not stand to see a child hurt like this.

"Father dragged Chikara-chan away last night and said that he was gone forever…" Runa replied, her lower lip trembling as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Runa-hime, I'll help you find your brother, okay? Did your father say where he took your brother?" Jin frowned when Runa shook her head. "Go back to the people I was with, okay? I'll find him. My friends will take care of you." When Runa nodded, he smiled at her. "Be careful going back to them. I'll be back soon."

He watched Runa scamper off back in the direction of Kakashi and the others before straightening up and sprinting back towards the village. There was a child in danger, and he wasn't going to let what happened to Kaoru happen to this child. He was not going to let his stepfather kill another child, no matter how scared he was.

Of course, there was always a chance that Runa's brother, Chikara, was already dead. After all, it had been a very cold night last night, and it was hard enough for an adult to survive a night like that.

He had been planning to force his stepfather to tell him where he had taken Chikara, but that would take too long. Instead, he changed direction, heading for the secret path up to the palace. He had discovered it when he was a child playing alone in the snow.

Jin knew one other way to get the information he needed, and he hoped dearly that it would work. Kuraokami was a fickle god sometimes, but he had not denied any of Jin's prayers for help so far.

It wasn't long before he managed to reach the back torii gate that led onto the palace grounds. He bowed hastily before dashing through it and making his way to the shrine as quickly as he could manage.

Jin dropped to his knees in front of the shrine, breathing harshly as he closed his eyes to ask Kuraokami for help. "Kuraokami-sama...please, I need your help...please…"

* * *

 _Six year old Jin sat in front of Kuraokami's shrine, shivers wracking through his body as he sobbed. Smoke rose up from much farther down the mountain. It was almost time to go, but Jin was so scared._

 _He had barely graduated from the academy, and now he was being called to war, a civil war. Sure, he had been trained to kill, and had certainly already done so in his graduation test, but that did not mean he was ready for war. What child was?_

 _A sob wracked through his body, and he reached out to the shrine for comfort. He was scared, so very scared. As much as the thought of wanting to die had crossed his mind since Kaoru's death, he wasn't sure that he wanted that anymore._

" _K-Kuraokami-sama...I'm s-sorry I'm s-scared...I don't...don't wanna die...I'm s-sorry I'm n-not strong…" Jin sobbed, clutching at the shrine with his small hand._

" _Kuraokami-sama isn't disappointed in you, Jin-chan." The voice was just on the edge of sound, but kind and warm._

 _Jin looked up as he felt a feather-light touch on his head, the sensation much like the feeling of the wind pushing his hair around. He could just faintly see the outline of a tall man standing just beside him. His violet eyes stared down at him kindly._

" _Who...who are you…?" Jin asked softly._

" _Ikki," he paused for a moment, smiling down at Jin gently, "you remind me a bit of my little sister. Emi-chan used to be scared a lot like you are now, but just like she did, you'll grow strong and brave." He ruffled Jin's hair gently. "Don't worry, I know that it's scary, but I'll be by your side, okay?"_

 _Jin nodded hesitantly and wiped away his tears. He stood up, not questioning where Ikki had come from, or why he was nearly completely transparent. Hesitantly, he reached up and put his small hand in Ikki's larger one. "Okay."_

* * *

"Please, Kuraokami-sama, let me find this child before it's too late…" Jin whispered, praying that the god wouldn't let him down.

He kept his eyes closed, hoping that somehow Kuraokami could show him where to find Chikara. Then he realized...he didn't need a god's help to find Chikara. His stepfather had already killed one child before Chikara, and Jin knew where his body rested.

After all, Jin had been forced to dig his baby brother's grave.

Jin leapt to his feet, nodding his thanks to the shrine and sprinting down the main path that led into the village. Taking two steps at a time, he steeled his resolve.

It was always this way. If there was a child in trouble, even if there was no chance that they would survive, Jin would always do whatever he could to help them. He couldn't help it. He didn't want any child to suffer the way he or Kaoru had. If he could, he would save every child from whatever cruel fate they had been given.

It was the reason he was trying so hard now. What had been done to Runa broke his heart even though he didn't know her. The last time he had seen his parents in person had been when he was sixteen, after he had finally recovered from a terrible injury his stepfather had inflicted on him.

He had been particularly angry because Jin had gained the courage to tell his parents that he would not support them anymore, and it had ended with Jin in the hospital for several months afterwards. It clicked now, why he had been so angry. His mother must have been pregnant with Chikara. Losing the money Jin provided them with would make it more difficult for them to provide for the child they were expecting.

Rage jolted through him. Rage and determination. He would not let his father be responsible for the death of another child.

Finally back in the main part of the village, he sprinted towards his parents house. The path he needed to take was just behind their house. It would take at least two hours to reach the spot where Kaoru was buried, and where his stepfather had likely left Chikara. He hoped that if Chikara were still alive now, he could hold on until Jin got to him.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes as the girl returned to their group alone. Jin should have come back with her, so where was he? Without hesitation, he stowed away his book and went to her side, crouching down to speak with her.

"Where's Jin?" He asked gently, stiffening when she lifted her head to look at him with one eye.

"He went to find aniki." The little girl replied, wincing when she rubbed at the spot where her eye had once been. "Father took him away forever. Jin-chan is my aniki, too."

That was news to Kakashi. He remembered Jin mentioning that he had one brother, who was dead, but he had never said anything about having any other brothers or sisters. He wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but Jin had gone looking alone. "How about you go over to Hakaru and let him look at your face?"

He wasn't sure he wanted to leave his and Kurenai's students here alone, with just Yui to watch over them, but Jin would also need help finding this child, and he already had a head start. He would have to take Pakkun and the rest of his ninken.

When the little girl went over to Hakaru and the others, he called Pakkun and the rest to his side, explaining the situation to them.

And then they set out together, Pakkun in the lead.

Jin was almost there, he was sure. It had taken a little over two hours to reach this point because snow had begun to fall heavily. He couldn't rid of the feeling that a blizzard was coming, and he knew that if that was the case, he needed to find Chikara as fast as he could and then find shelter to wait out the storm.

It wasn't ideal, but there wasn't really another option.

It wasn't long before Jin caught sight of the dark red Hellebore flowers that marked Kaoru's grave. They were thriving, much to his surprise. He hadn't tended to them in such a long time.

Jin quickly stepped closer to the lonely grave and looked around quickly for any sign of Chikara. At first, he worried that he had been wrong about his stepfather dumping Chikara here, until he spotted a small shoe coated in ice beyond the Hellebore.

Quickly, he scrambled past the flowers and dropped to his knees and began to push the freshly fallen snow off of the small boy buried beneath. He was so still, his lips tinged blue.

Jin worried that he was too late as he put his fingers to the boy's throat to check his pulse gently. It took a moment, but eventually he felt his pulse, faint and weak.

Swiftly, Jin took off his coat and gently lifted the boy up, wrapping him up in it to keep him warm. For the moment, he did nothing about the blood he had just spotted covering the lower half of the boy's shirt. The cold would keep him from bleeding out too quickly.

Picking the boy up in his arms gently, Jin stood up, the wind whipping his hair to and fro. The snow was coming down harder now. It wouldn't be long before the blizzard truly hit. If he didn't find them shelter before it hit, they would both die.

Jin began trekking back the way he had come, knowing that there was a cave on that same path, though he would have to cross a frozen lake to reach it. He moved as quickly as he could, careful not to jostle Chikara too much.

He was frightened because even Chikara's black hair was frozen together in clumps. Pausing for a moment to adjust his coat around Chikara, he made sure that his head was covered. "It's just a little farther...just hang on until then, and you'll be okay. I promise…"

It was getting colder by the minute, and even Jin wasn't immune to it. He had already started shivering, his breath billowing out in clouds. The only stroke of luck so far, was that Jin had finally spotted the small icy lake and the cave just across it. It would take too long to go around the lake, though, so he decided to take a chance and cross through the center.

Jin stepped carefully onto the ice, stiffening when he heard a faint crack. The ice clearly wasn't as thick on this lake as it was on the one he had taken Kakashi and the others to. Still, if he was quick and careful, he was sure he could get Chikara across before the ice broke. Unless, of course, something else happened to make this more difficult for Jin. He tried not to think that way, but the ice cracking so quickly under his weight was suspicious.

Taking a moment to compare the risks of crossing through the center of the lake or going around it, Jin stared down at Chikara. It would take longer to go around the lake, even though it was a relatively small lake, and it was likely that they wouldn't make it to the cave before the blizzard hit. However, crossing the ice would be dangerous as well because of how thin it was currently. Neither option was ideal, but it would be more dangerous for him to try to get back to the village or find shelter farther along.

With a heavy sigh, Jin took another light step onto the ice. He'd made his decision and desperately hoped that it was the right one.

He tightened his grip around Chikara as he slowly stepped across the ice, trying to distribute his weight as evenly as possible. Nothing he did helped, as the ice kept cracking the farther out he went, worse in some spots than others.

This wasn't, at all, good for his anxiety. Neither was the loud cracking sound just ahead, that very much resembled the sound of something bashing itself against the ice. The wind howling through the trees like an angry banshee only made it worse.

Jin's chest tightened uncomfortably, and his heart began to race. Now he was certain that he had made the wrong choice. Freezing to death was definitely preferable to being eaten by whatever was below the surface of the lake. Maybe his imagination was getting the better of him, but he did not want to find out what was waiting under the ice.

"It's totally okay...there's totally nothing under the ice that wants to eat me...it's totally fine...hah…" At this point, he couldn't really fool himself. The least he could do was try to make sure that Chikara didn't get eaten by whatever was bashing itself against the ice.

Jin gulped and continued on, keeping a close eye on where he stepped. At first, everything seemed like it was going to be fine. There wasn't much more cracking, except when he took a step.

Then his foot went right through the ice. Time seemed to slow down as he fell. Making a split-second decision, Jin took a chance and tossed Chikara as gently as he could across the ice. He would have a better chance of surviving if he didn't end up in the lake.

Time seemed to speed up again, and Jin crashed below the ice. He tried to take a breath before his head dipped below the surface, but all he got was a mouthful of icy water.

Jin flailed, coughing up the water when his head broke through the surface of the water. He drew in a rattling breath before his head went under again.

It was so cold and so hard to move. He bobbed to the surface again in time to blurrily see Kakashi picking Chikara up gently. He didn't know when Kakashi had shown up, but he was so glad that he had.

"G-g-get him t-t-t-to that c-cave…" Jin struggled to speak as he clung to the edge of the ice to keep himself from slipping back under.

Kakashi spun around, his eye widening slightly. He started towards Jin, but stopped when he shook his head.

"G-get him t-to the cave f-f-first!" A shiver wracked through Jin and he almost lost his grip on the ice. "Go!" He snapped when Kakashi hesitated.

Hesitating only a moment more, Kakashi spun around and sprinted for the cave, his ninken just behind him, except for Pakkun, who stayed to keep an eye on Jin.

Having temporarily forgotten about whatever had been bashing itself against the ice, Jin watched Kakashi disappear into the cave. At first he didn't notice something wrapping around his ankle because he had started losing feeling in his limbs, but then whatever had ahold of him gave a sharp yank and dragged him under.

Jin didn't have time to take a breath before his head went below the surface of the water. Icy water seared his lungs, and he couldn't help but cough. He kicked and struggled desperately, trying to free himself to no avail.

He could tell that his struggles were growing weaker, and his vision was beginning to fade. Faintly, he heard a splash far above him, and felt whatever had been dragging him down let him go. He blacked out just as he felt someone wrap their arms securely around him.

Jin woke with a jolt several minutes later, coughing violently as he was turned on his side to expel the water. Coughing up the water wasn't enough, because a moment later, he vomited it up, chest heaving with the effort to expel all the water.

"Jin, can you hear me?" Kakashi asked close to his ear, sounding rather out of breath.

Once his coughing had slowed a little, Jin opened his eyes a sliver. "Ha-Hatake-sama…" He coughed again, managing to spit up a little more water. Kakashi, looking damp and miserable, visibly relaxed when Jin replied.

Kakashi gently pulled Jin into a sitting position, shivering just as much as he was, and wrapped his dry coat around him. He stood up slowly and pulled Jin to his feet carefully. When Jin's legs buckled beneath him, Kakashi slid one arm under his knees and the other around his shoulders. He lifted him up gently, and stumbled towards the cave. It was getting colder, and they wouldn't last much longer out in the open when they were wet like this.

Jin looked up at Kakashi with half-lidded eyes. He was so tired, but he knew how dangerous it was to fall asleep, especially when hypothermia was setting in. In an attempt to stay awake, he decided to make conversation. They'd be in the cave in just a moment, but it would take a while to properly warm up.

"Y-you saved my l-life…" He whispered, finding that it was difficult to speak when he was so cold. He took a moment to drag up the strength to speak more strongly. "Thank you…"

Kakashi glanced down at him as he slid into the cave and gently set Jin down up against the wall. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. While he did that, he took the time to begin taking things out of a scroll in a bag that he had brought with him. Jin recognized the scroll as one of his own. Hakaru must have given it to him earlier. All it had inside was several sets of spare clothing for incidents just like this, as well as some emergency food and the means to start a fire.

"You don't have to thank me. As you said last night, we're friends. I wouldn't just let you drown." Kakashi said finally, sorting out a set of clothes for Jin to change into. "Do you need help changing?"

Jin tried to stand up slowly, but he was still so cold. "Ahh, I think I do need help…" He leaned against the cave wall to support his weight.

Kakashi went to Jin's side, first checking to make sure Chikara was alright. The boy was wrapped up securely in Jin's coat, and nestled between Kakashi's ninken. Once he was sure that he was alright, he helped Jin get out of his wet clothes, and dress in the dry set.

It didn't do much in the way of warming him up, but at least he was dry now. He tensed up slightly when Kakashi's hand brushed up the scar that went up along his spine, but didn't protest. Though he didn't say it and tried not to show it, Jin was ashamed of his scars, especially that one. Raizo had never been able to look at his scars, and had avoided touching them. Jin understood why, but it had hurt like hell.

"T-thank you…" Jin said softly, looking away to give Kakashi privacy when he began to change out of his own wet clothes.

Once Kakashi had done that, he began to arrange some small logs and sticks into a pile that would support a small fire. Hearing him do that, Jin realized that Kakashi was done changing and turned to watch him.

A startled noise escaped past Jin's lips, and he quickly turned away. Kakashi wasn't wearing his mask, and he felt horribly rude for looking over without asking if he was done changing first.

"What's the matter?" Kakashi asked sharply, pausing in what he was doing.

"You're not w-wearing your mask…" Jin replied. "I'm sorry. I sh-should have asked if y-you were done changing f-first…"

Kakashi was relieved that it wasn't anything serious. He'd thought for a moment that Jin might have been hurt. If he were honest with himself, it had scared him that Jin had already slipped under the water by the time he had returned to help him out. Jin was a friend, and he was definitely not prepared to lose another friend.

"I don't mind if you look." He said finally, and Jin's eyes widened slightly.

Jin hesitated for a moment before finally glancing over at Kakashi. He watched him start the fire, and his eyes widened a little more when he saw Kakashi's entire face. Hoarse laughter bubbled from his lips, and he quickly covered his mouth.

"Y-you have a t-tan line…" Jin snickered a little, and he could tell that Kakashi hadn't been expecting that. "Y-you've got l-like a perfect f-face, b-but that tan line…"

In a way, Kakashi was relieved that Jin hadn't reacted the way that most everyone else did. He hadn't even realized that he'd had a tan line, though, at least not one obvious enough for someone to notice.

Unable to keep from smiling a bit, he went and helped Jin scoot closer to the fire to warm up. Once he'd done that, he went and picked Chikara up and brought him closer to the fire as well. The ninken followed closely.

While Kakashi had his back turned, Jin froze over the entrance to the cave with thick layer of ice. He hoped it would insulate them and keep safe from the wind's chill.

He winced as he began to warm up finally. It like pins and needles, except instead of it being localized to one area like when a limb fell asleep, it was all over. It hurt like hell, but he supposed that it was better than freezing to death.

Jin glanced over as Kakashi sat down next to him, unusually close. It was cold, and sharing body would help warm them up, so he didn't. He did find, though, that he had a bit of a difficult time looking away from Kakashi's face. Tan line aside, Kakashi had one of those faces that was absolutely perfect.

He cleared his throat a little, and glanced at Chikara, who was now leaned up against Bull, still wrapped up in Jin's coat. His lips weren't tinged blue anymore, but he was deathly pale. "Hatake-sama, did you see his injury?" He asked hesitantly.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and glanced at Chikara. Judging by his expression, he hadn't. Very gently, he leaned over and nudged the coat aside a little bit. "...it's bad." He frowned, reaching over to grab the bag that the scroll had been in. He went through it, seeming relieved when he found a clean roll of bandages. Very carefully, he began to treat the wound as best as he could with what they had. "I think you need to explain exactly what happened."

Jin put his face in his hands, ignoring the pins and needles feeling as he continued warming up. A moment later, he reached up and ran a hand through his damp hair. "I just...really can't stand it when children are hurt. I...I had no idea they were there last night...if I'd known, this wouldn't have happened…I shouldn't have stopped visiting them."

He felt responsible for what had happened to both Chikara and Runa, guilty that he had let this happen. He knew he should have visited his parents more, even though it would've meant more pain. This was his fault. All his fault.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked, frowning now.

"I suppose that I had better start from the beginning…"

* * *

" _Raizo...I really don't think this is a good idea...I can't just stop giving them money...I owe them…" Jin looked down anxiously, refusing to look up at the house they were now approaching. On the outside, it was perfect, suited to the 'perfect' couple with the problem child._

" _You don't owe them a damned thing. If anything, they owe_ you _for all the pain and suffering they've put you through." Raizo replied, his green eyes unusually angry. He was normally better at hiding what he really felt._

 _Jin didn't flinch away when Raizo put his hand on the small of his back. He had long since stopped flinching away from Raizo's touch. Raizo had never raised a hand against him, and knew just how to calm and reassure him. His words were harsh, but his touch was gentle._

" _You don't know my parents…" He mumbled, still refusing to look up at the house he had been forced to call home for such a long time._

 _Barely sixteen, Jin was still terrified of his stepfather. Unlike his mother Fuyumi, his father was aggressively abusive. Fuyumi had put him in the situations where he'd been raped repeatedly by forcing him to work at the same courtesan house she worked at. While that had been bad enough, his stepfather's abuse had made things so much worse. He was often beaten nearly to death, and when he ended up in the hospital, his stepfather had blamed it all on him fighting with other kids. He had learned at a young age how to use a henge to hide his injuries._

 _He'd been labelled a problem child and isolated from anyone who could potentially help him. Perhaps that was why he fought so hard to become a capable shinobi. He felt he deserved everything he got, but he wanted to be able to protect others who didn't deserve it. He had brought on his own suffering._

" _Jin, I'll be just outside. If I think for even a moment that you're in danger, I'll be there in an instant. I know you're fast, but I'm a hell of a lot faster than you. Trust me." Raizo gave him one of his rare smiles, knowing that it would reassure him._

" _If you say so…" Jin gulped, but walked the rest of the way up to the house. He hesitated for a moment before retrieving the key from his pocket and unlocking the door. "I'm home."_

 _Almost immediately, his father Kyoya was shutting the door behind him, gazing expectantly at Jin. He had no idea what Jin had come here to do, and he would be furious when he found out._

" _Well, hand it over already. I don't have all day, and I don't want you in my house any longer than you have to be." Kyoya snarled, cuffing Jin upside the head._

 _Jin stepped back closer to the door, ready to flee if he needed to. He was scared, but...he trusted Raizo. "I'm not giving you anything anymore. I don't owe you anything anymore. You're not my father."_

" _...excuse me?" Kyoya's voice went deadly quiet, his eyes narrowed and his fists shaking with barely contained rage._

 _Jin tried not to let it frighten him, but it was so, so hard. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and opened the front door. Turning his back on his stepfather was the worst mistake he could have made._

 _Pain like fire seared down from the middle of his back, dragging down barely half an inch from his spine. Jin spun, the pain veering off towards his hip, and even farther down his leg._

 _The pain was too much for him to handle, and as he fell forward, he hardly heard the front door snapping shut, hardly felt Raizo's arms wrapping around him, hardly heard Raizo's voice, more panicked than he had ever sounded before._

 _He couldn't handle the pain, and it was only a few moments before he faded into the darkness of unconsciousness, never knowing that his mother was expecting another child._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thank you guys for always being so patient with me and my slow updates! I've been writing longer chapters, so it's been taking a bit longer for me to get chapters out. I think this one is a bit longer than normal, too, haha. Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter! You might be wondering when Jin is ever gonna get an actual break, huh? Maybe he'll get a bit of a break next chapter!**

 **sarahgri99: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter!**

 **Trisana: Oh my gosh, you have no idea how happy it makes me hearing that! Thank you so much! As for your many questions, perhaps some of them will be answered in a few chapters...again, thank you so much for reading, and I'm really happy that you're enjoying the story so far!**


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

" _What the fuck do you mean he's not dead?" Rikichi snarled, leaning over the large octopus he had dragged out of its tank. "I warned you not to let him get away!"_

 _In his defense, the icy water had been far too cold for the octopus to survive for long. He'd held his prey under as long as he could before he'd had to return to his own home. As Rikichi's summon, he lived a rather miserable life, and wasn't particularly inclined to kill for his summoner. Unfortunately, he didn't have much choice in the matter._

" _I couldn't stay any longer!" The octopus blurted, praying that he didn't meet the same fate some of his brethren had. He was not the first summon that Rikichi had had as a summon, and was not keen to meet his end in the same way they had._

" _It doesn't matter. I prepared for the possibility of your failure. He won't make it off of that mountain alive." Rikichi smirked. A small part of him had been hoping his summon would fail. Drowning was a fun way to have someone killed, but the irony of his son freezing to death was almost too much to for him to handle. He couldn't wait._

" _I'm surprised by how many children you keep spawning, despite the fact that you despise them. How many do you have now? Ten? Fifteen? Three of them with the same damn woman, if I remember correctly." Aki stepped into the room, his red hair dull in the low lighting. "You'd think after all this time that you'd have figured out how to use a condom by now, but I suppose not."_

" _I think the count is closer to twenty by now, not including the ones I've already, ah, 'taken care of.'" Rikichi rolled his eyes and glanced at Aki. "What do you want? I'm busy."_

" _I came to let you know that we've gotten in a new batch of children, finally. This time, you can watch the testing, and kill the failures. They've figured out what we're doing with the ones we let survive. You should be happy; you get to do what you love most. Come to the testing room when you've finished with your pet, and we will begin testing." Aki turned on his heel and walked out without waiting for his response, though he did not miss the giddy gleam in Rikichi's eyes._

 _A smirk on his face, Rikichi glanced back at his summon, who had begun to think that he might survive this encounter. He drew a kunai from his belt and grabbed the octopus by the tentacle. He didn't care about making Aki wait, when he was going to have fun cutting his summon to pieces while he was still alive._

* * *

"...and because of that incident, I haven't been back home since. I've just been sending money through messenger owls. I should have visited more often. I could have done something sooner so this would never have happened…" Jin let out a small sigh, refusing to look at Kakashi. Needless to say, this was a rather difficult topic for him to discuss with anyone.

Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, but Jin shook his head before he could, looking as if he didn't want his pity. Instead, Kakashi grabbed his coat from the spot it had been dropped while Jin was changing, and pulled it up around Jin's shoulders gently.

Jin really wished he had packed that damned scroll with blankets. At least then they'd have something more to keep them warm. He let out a small sigh, glancing at Kakashi briefly. "You should wear it instead. You're not used to this bitter cold." He frowned when Kakashi shook his head, and let out a sigh.

"You were in the water longer than I was." Kakashi pointed out, gazing at the fire. Despite his words and the fire, he couldn't help his shivers. It really was cold.

Hissing in frustration, Jin scooted closer to Kakashi and slid the coat off one shoulder, adjusting it as much as he could around them both. It didn't work well, at first, and Jin realized that he would have to get closer even than that. It wouldn't be perfect, but at least they would both be at least a little warmer. He hesitated for a moment before shifting so close to him that they were practically pressed right up together. He ignored the noise that Kakashi made, wrapping the coat around them both. It wasn't perfect, but they would at least be warmer.

"Don't take this the wrong way, I just don't want to freeze to death…" Jin mumbled, puffing out his cheeks. Now that he wasn't talking about any of his past experiences, he was feeling a little bit better. "Don't say anything about it, and just get some rest. I'll keep an eye on you and Chikara-sama." He glanced at the little boy, glad that Kakashi's ninken were snuggled around him to keep him warm.

"You need rest, too. We won't be able to get out of this situation if you're exhausted." Kakashi watched him for a moment, worry settling over his features. Without his mask on, it was a lot easier to read his expression.

"I know. We can sleep in shifts. That way, we both get some rest for when morning comes." Jin replied, staring into the flames without really seeing them. He was relieved when Kakashi muttered his agreement, closing the only eye he had kept open.

It was a long time before Kakashi drifted into sleep, Jin could tell. His head tilted, resting on Jin's shoulder, and his breathing deepened into soft snores. He was a bit surprised that Kakashi had managed to fall asleep at all.

Jin shook his head, continuing to stare into the flames. He tried emptying his mind, not wanting to deal with thoughts intruding in his mind.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

 _Her wound should have healed by now. It had been months since Hisashi's death and their escape. She was sure that infection had set in, judging by the way her jaw was swollen and discolored. Every time she spoke or ate, the wound reopened and pus oozed out along with fresh blood._

 _Emi had no way to fight the infection, and she knew that it was getting the worse the longer she did nothing to treat it. They had no money and no way to pay a healer to remove the infection and heal the wound. They were struggling enough trying to survive._

 _Food was difficult to come by, and every morsel they managed to scavenge or steal she gave to Kazuma and Kazuto. They were all she had left, and she would damn well make sure that they were fed. Even so, they were all thinner than they should have been, every rib showing._

 _Emi let out a sigh, hugging her nephews close as they all settled in the dark alley they had decided to shelter in for the night. A rattling cough escaped her lips, and for several moments, she was unable to breathe properly. She pulled her scarf up over her mouth further, her rasping breaths growing shallow. Infection was making her sick, and she was scared that she wouldn't survive to make certain that her nephews had a safe home._

" _We've searched almost the whole village, so we've gotta be close to finding them soon, sensei." A boy sounding not much older than Emi herself spoke loudly from several houses away._

" _You're right, Mamoru. We'd better split up. We'll find them quicker that way." A deeper voice responded. "You go that way, and I'll go this way. You know what to do if you find them."_

 _A chill ran down Emi's spine, and she quickly covered her mouth to stifle another cough. For the last few months, they had been pursued by several people. She didn't know what they wanted, but wasn't willing to risk their lives to figure it out._

 _She held her breath as footsteps approached the alley. They weren't very well hidden, but there was nowhere else for them to go. All they could do was remain still, and hope that their pursuers would move on without catching them._

 _They were not lucky. The footsteps grew louder until it was clear that one of their pursuers was coming down the alley. There weren't any other options._

 _Emi leapt to her feet, standing in front of her nephews to protect them. "What do you want from us?" She rasped, drawing the two ninjato from their sheaths slowly. She didn't bother to pull her scarf back up around her face when it slid down, revealing her wound._

" _Uwhaa! Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's okay! I'm not gonna hurt ya!" Their pursuer, clearly startled by her show of aggression, put his hands up, as if to appease her. He didn't look much older than she was, his shaggy black hair sticking up in asymmetrical bunches. His eyes had been a deep chocolatey brown before, but when she had startled him, they had shifted into a bloody red color with little black marks circling the pupils. Emi recognized the Sharingan easily, but did not lower her defenses._

" _What...do you want from us?" Emi snarled, her voice stronger this time. She narrowed her violet eyes in anger, trying to ignore the throb of pain as she bared her longer than average canine teeth._

" _No need for hostility! We just wanna help! You're the girl who helped bring down Azusa the Tyrant, right? I'm very pleased to meet you!" He took a step forward, deactivating his Sharingan. "Sorry for startling you! I'm Uchiha Mamoru!" His large eyes widened when he noticed the wound along her jaw in the bright moonlight. "Ah! That must hurt terribly…"_

 _Emi backed up rapidly. "What do you want from us? I don't believe you want to help!" She swiped at him, blood spraying as the blade slashed across his cheek._

" _Gah! That hurt!" Mamoru put his hand up against the wound to stop the bleeding. "Really, we just wanna help! You helped rid us of a tyrant, and the head of our clan wishes to meet with you! She's not good at showing it, but she's really impressed with you!" Emi's violence hardly seemed to deter him. "Please let me help!"_

 _Suddenly getting an idea, Mamoru dug around in the bag he carried with him. He cheered when he found what he was looking for, and offered Emi a small box that held exactly enough onigiri for her and her nephews._

 _As if in response, their stomachs grumbled loudly in anticipation. Emi glanced back at the twins' pleading faces, and had to admit that even her resistance was growing weak. It had been several days since their last meal._

 _Eyeing Mamoru warily, Emi slowly put both ninjato away. Then she snatched the box greedily, her eyes never leaving Mamoru's faces. She opened the box and lifted it to her face, sniffing each of the pristinely made rice balls to check for poison. When she found no unpleasant smells, she slowly handed each twin their own onigiri. She took the last one for herself and took a tentative bite, wincing as her jaw throbbed painfully. Behind her, the twins gobbled down their rice balls as if they had never tasted anything so wonderful in their lives before._

" _See? I told you that we just wanted to help. Sensei has more food with him." Mamoru extended his gloved hand to Emi, offering her a kind smile. "Please come with us. We'll take good care of you."_

 _Emi peered up at him, chewing slowly as she considered his words. When she had finished her onigiri, she reached out with all the cautiousness of wounded arm. She placed her hand in Mamoru's carefully._

 _As if he couldn't help it, Mamoru pulled Emi into a gentle embrace. "Sorry! You just looked so sad…" He let go immediately the moment that she began to struggle, smiling at her sheepishly._

 _At that moment, it was as if the weight of reality was finally crashing down around Emi. Her brothers and sister were all dead. She wanted so desperately to be strong for them like they had been for her, but she couldn't stop the sob that rose up in her throat._

 _Mamoru's embrace had given her a sense of safety that she hadn't felt in such a long time, that she couldn't help but fling her arms around him as soon as he let go. She buried her face against his chest, ignoring the searing pain in her jaw._

 _Mamoru was rather surprised, to say the least. His smile faded slightly, and he wrapped his arms back around Emi gently, glancing up at the full moon. He had been at the battle that had cut Azusa's and Hisashi's lives short. He'd heard her brave words._

 _It broke his heart to hear the sobs wracking through Emi's body, even though he hardly knew her. He reached up and placed his hand gently on the back of her head, running his fingers through her hair softly. He turned his attention back down to the twins while Emi cried, offering them a friendly smile. He waved a finger at them, hoping they wouldn't be afraid of him._

" _It's okay now. You'll be safe." Emi found comfort in Mamoru's gentle words._

 _For the first time since Kotaro's death, she felt the weight lifted from her shoulders. Perhaps she didn't have to carry this burden all on her own anymore._

* * *

"Jin." Banri spoke up for the first time since they had taken shelter in the cave. He was watching Kakashi sleep leaned up against his summoner.

"What is it, Banri-sama?" Jin asked softly so as not to wake Kakashi. He didn't want to disturb him since he was sleeping so peacefully. "Keep quiet so you don't wake them." He glanced at Chikara for a moment, glad that his breathing remained deep and steady.

Banri rose to his paws and silently went to Jin's side, plopping down next to him. He pressed against his side and rested one paw on his lap and his chin on Jin's shoulder. "I've noticed that you seem more at ease when you're around the leaf shinobi. You don't flinch as often, especially around this one." His eyes flickered towards Kakashi for a moment.

Jin took a moment, choosing his words carefully. "They're kind." It was the simplest way he could think to put his impressions of them into words. "I like being around them. I'm not quite used to how nicely they all treat someone like me. I don't deserve it."

Jin closed his eyes and reached up to scratch the albino cheetah behind his ears. After Kaoru's death, he had come to believe that because of his failure to protect him, he didn't deserve any sort of kindness. It had gotten worse over the years, and though Raizo had helped him start to overcome it, after his death it had come back twice as bad.

"Raizo always hated that part of you. He could never understand why you think so poorly of yourself when he thought so highly of you." Banri stated bluntly without bothering to soften the blow.

Jin couldn't help but flinch, but he didn't respond to his words. "Go to bed, Banri-sama." He said instead, opening his eyes to stare into the flames again.

Banri snorted and pulled away, slinking around him to curl up with Kakashi's ninken. "He had such faith in you, but you've fallen back into the same patterns again. I hope you don't start wandering those self-destructive paths of yours again. Raizo wouldn't be happy if you killed yourself."

Deigning not to answer, Jin let out a heavy sigh. He glanced up at the ceiling of the cave, listening as Banri settled down to sleep, his breathing growing deep and rhythmic.

Over the next few hours, Jin stared vacantly into the flames, only moving slightly when he needed to add more sticks to it. There weren't many left, but it was likely that they would be stuck there for several more days.

There _was_ something else they could try, though there was no guarantee that it would actually work. Still, it would probably end up being safer than trying to wait out the blizzard, especially after the fire finally went out.

Jin let out a sigh and glanced at Kakashi's sleeping face. He smiled faintly, deciding to let him sleep instead of waking him up. He wasn't all that tired, and it would give him some time to think. There were a lot of things on his mind.

His most pressing worry was about what he had originally been sent to the Land of Fire for. So far, he had met who he suspected to be key players in whatever was going on. The young woman Aiko, and the older man Rikichi.

Aiko was relatively easy to figure out. She was angry and violent, but clearly wasn't the ringleader of whatever was going on. She was too unstable for how well thought out their moves were. Had she been in charge, it would have been much easier to figure what was going on and how to stop it.

Rikichi, on the other hand, seemed far more stable than Aiko. It was likely that he ranked higher on the food chain than she did. There was something else bothering him about Rikichi, though. They shared a kekkei genkai, and while that normally wouldn't be too unusual, he knew that his kekkei genkai was rare; the majority of its users had gone into hiding to avoid civil war. Haku had been the only other person he'd known that had the same kekkei genkai, though he had never been able to do some of the things Jin could, no matter how hard Jin tried to teach him. Rikichi could, and had proved that in their only encounter so far.

Those facts didn't bother him so much as the strange familiarity he'd felt when he looked at Rikichi. There was something so achingly familiar about him, though Jin was certain that was the first time they had met. Clearly, he would have to think more about how Rikichi could be so familiar to him.

Brushing those thoughts aside for the moment, Jin lifted his gaze to the cave ceiling, absently studying each crack and bump in the dark stone.

His next worry was Sasuke. He wasn't sure how much there was that he could do for him, except try to keep him out of Orochimaru's hands, and having the curse mark removed. Before he could do any of that, he would first have to speak with Tsunade, and then undoubtedly he'd have to convince Konoha's elders that he would actually keep his word.

The worst part of it all was that he still had no idea how he would get Sasuke out of the village without Orochimaru knowing in the off chance that he got permission from both Tsunade and the elders. Secrecy would be the only way to do it, but it would be a difficult feat.

His last relevant worry was the mission that the Mizukage had given him. He had taken the time to look over it after they had arrived at his home. It was a B-ranked mission, but like many of the missions the Mist took on, there was a high probability that it would turn into an A-ranked mission, if not higher.

It didn't help that Minami Koichi and Ran had both been assigned to work under him. For the most part, Koichi remained at the village gates, checking out anyone entering and leaving the village. Despite his current position, he was a capable shinobi; a jounin.

Koichi's personality, however, was terrible. He had been enraged when Jin, ten years his junior, had climbed farther in rank. He had been taking it out on him since the day they had met. After Kiri's last civil war, Jin had competed in the Chuunin exams when he was only seven and had passed with flying colors. Koichi, seventeen at the time, had also competed and failed. It wasn't long after that that he showed up at the courtesan house Jin had worked at then and brutally abused him. Koichi had passed the next Chuunin exams.

Minami Ran was Koichi's twin sister, and just as cruel. She had risen higher than her twin, making it as a member of Kiri's ANBU. Her medical skills were exemplary, but instead of using them to heal, she preferred to take her victims apart piece by piece while they were still alive to see how they reacted. Not only that, she had created several deadly poisons, one of which Jin had tried to kill himself with when he'd been much younger. She was particularly well known for creating the poison that slowly disintegrated the skeletal structure over several hours. It was her favorite.

It went without saying that he didn't want either of those two around the leaf genin he'd brought with him. Even though he had been put in charge of them, there was very little chance of either Koichi or Ran following any of his instructions.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Jin let his thoughts wander away from his worries, only to end up pondering what Banri had told him.

He knew very well that Raizo wouldn't want him to kill himself, though the urge to do so had resurfaced for a while after his death. Hakaru had needed him, though, and that was enough to keep him from ever acting on the desire.

His thoughts shifted again, and he wondered if Tsunade had checked over his medical files yet. If she hadn't yet, he was certain that she would have by the time he returned.

With a yawn, Jin rested his head against Kakashi's. He was tired after his near-drowning, and it was growing difficult to keep his eyes open. The moment he shut them, he was out like a light, his soft snores joining the others.

* * *

" _Shizune?" Tsunade asked questioningly, glancing up from her pile of paperwork. Careful to stow away her forbidden bottle of sake, she watched as her student placed an overflowing medical file on the one clear spot on the untidy desk._

" _I've brought you Jin's file, as you requested. It took a while to find the new pages from the last few times he's ended up in the hospital." Shizune reported with a sigh. After the Chuunin exams, everything had been in disarray in the hospital with the sudden influx of patients and the repairs to the hospital that were still going on even now._

" _Thank you, Shizune." Tsunade replied absentmindedly as she reached for the file. It was much thicker than she had expected, though she shouldn't have been surprised._

 _Shizune gave a simple nod and left the room, shutting the door with a quiet 'click' behind her._

 _Alone, Tsunade opened the file, starting from the very beginning. She knew exactly what Jin had to suffer through, having treated him several times during her stay in the Land of Water, but it made her cringe every time._

 _It didn't take long to sort through the part of his file that she had already seen, moving on immediately to the rest of it. As she read on, her expression grew more and more grave until she froze altogether._

 _A moment later, she slammed her fist on the desk, the thick wood cracking under her strength. Her paperwork went scattering onto the floor, but at that moment she didn't care._

" _I'm going to kill him!"_

* * *

"Are you sure this will work?" Kakashi asked, standing at the mouth of the cave with Jin. He held Chikara in his arms, and had sent his ninken back. Banri had returned as well.

Jin nodded, staring out into the blizzard with narrowed eyes. He glanced at Kakashi for a moment, watching his masked face. Then he closed his eyes and stretched out his arms and legs. Their clothes had dried, except for Jin's coat, and though Kakashi had tried to give him his, Jin had refused. Kakashi was going to be carrying Chikara, so staying warm was a much bigger priority for him.

"Yes." Jin feigned confidence and opened his eyes. "Trust me."

Without waiting for a reply, Jin stepped out into the blizzard, narrowing his eyes as the wind whipped snow and ice into his face mercilessly. Lifting one hand, he made a few rapid hand seals.

If his theory was correct, he could temporarily dispel the blizzard in the same way that he could hypothetically call one up. The only problem was that he had never tried it before, so there was more than a slight chance that it wouldn't work.

Almost immediately, his chakra clashed with someone else's. Jin stumbled backwards, nearly crashing into Kakashi.

"Fuck!" He snarled. He recognized the chakra signature. It belonged to the man he had fought, Rikichi.

Jin was beginning to lose his patience. Even he had his limits, and he was sick of dealing with these people. First Aiko had tried to kill him, and now Rikichi was trying to do the same. Had he been alone, he would have tracked Rikichi down and torn him to pieces for the large wild cats that roamed the snowy mountain. As much as the thought appealed to him, he had two other lives to look after. He would not have a repeat of Kaoru's or Raizo's deaths.

"This isn't a natural blizzard, Hatake-sama. Give me a minute, and I'll fix this problem." Jin took a moment to regain his balance, and then he stormed back out into the blizzard. He repeated the same hand seals, this time expecting the resistance that came.

Jin had to admit that this was almost out of his skill range, but his anger was getting the better of him, and he exerted more chakra in an attempt to overwhelm Rikichi's. If he could just clear a path for them, then he wouldn't need to use all his chakra to dispel it completely.

A chip of ice scraped against his throat, bright red blood spraying from the shallow wound. Another snarl slipped past Jin's lips, but he kept forcing his chakra against Rikichi's.

The moment his foot touched the ice of the lake, though, his attention slipped. Terror seized him, and he stumbled back in a panic. He spun around and fled back to the cave where Kakashi and Chikara were waiting.

Catching sight of Kakashi, his panic eased just enough for him to wonder why he was panicking in the first place. He could swim just fine! There was no reason for him to suddenly be afraid of the water, even after his near drowning. Right…?

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked, his gaze drifting towards the cut on Jin's throat. Chikara seemed to be stirring in Kakashi's arms, reminding Jin that they needed to get back as soon as they could.

"N-nothing." Jin replied, shaking his head. He glanced outside again, deciding that he would use his ice as a barrier to protect them. It was the only way he could think to protect them efficiently. He hadn't quite recovered from his near drowning yet, so it would be easier on him to do it that way. "Change of plan. I can't stop that blizzard right now. Someone else is controlling it. I'm going to make a barrier to protect us…" He hoped that Kakashi wouldn't hear the tremor in his voice.

Kakashi hesitated for just a moment before nodding and moving closer to him. "Let's go." He shifted his grip on Chikara as the little boy wiggled and let out a noise of distress. "It's okay." Gently, he tightened Jin's coat around Chikara to make sure that he would stay warm.

Jin let out a heavy sigh, and let his ice rise up around them in a large box. It shielded them everywhere except in the direction they were headed. He needed to be able to see where he was going.

"Hatake-sama, please walk behind me." Jin said, gaining some mild control over his panic as he stepped out of the cave. He would skirt around the lake to avoid having fear take him over again.

The wind whipped around them, but they were mostly protected from it in the barrier of ice, and with Jin walking in front of Kakashi and Chikara, the pair of them were a little more safe from any shards of ice. The drawback was that whatever didn't hit Kakashi and Chikara, hit him instead.

It was slow going. Normally, it would have been a two hour trip, but with the weather and the ever rising pile of snow, they had to move slowly. Not to mention the fact that the farther they went, the more fierce the blizzard became. The occasional shards of ice that flew by were growing larger, and when they hit him, Jin could tell that they were infused with Rikichi's chakra.

Where was Rikichi, though? Not once had he shown his face, but the blizzard was so powerful that Jin didn't understand where he could possibly be, if not close. Unless he was just that powerful. That possibility worried him, but at the same time gave him a little hope. If Rikichi _were_ far away, that would mean that he couldn't do much more than what he was already doing. Not to mention the fact that the drain on his chakra would be much larger the farther away he was.

Blood began to drip from his nose, and Jin doubted that it was because of the cold. More likely, it was the strain of keeping up the barrier and trying to force some of the bad weather away from them. Admittedly, he was worried; his nose had never started bleeding like this before, even in the most trying of circumstances. He hoped this wouldn't be a recurring problem.

By the time they had reached the path that led back up to the village, the blizzard had grown so fierce that it was nearly impossible to see where they were going. They had to stop several times just to make sure that they were going in the right direction, and not just going in circles.

All of a sudden, Jin felt a searing pain in his abdomen, and he stumbled backwards into Kakashi and Chikara, managing to regain his balance a moment later. He leaned against the ice barrier, which had begun to crack the longer he kept it up. Normally something like this wouldn't drain on his chakra, but he had needed to constantly freeze over and repair cracks that had formed every time that ice shards had slammed into the barrier.

Jin let out a sigh and glanced down to see what the hell had just happened. He wasn't surprised to find the moderately sized ice shard sticking out of his abdomen below his ribs. With a curse, he siphoned a little of his chakra to do a basic sweep to make sure that the ice hadn't hit any vital organs. While he couldn't do any other medical ninjutsu techniques, Tsunade had managed to at least teach him this.

He was lucky. The ice had missed his vital organs, and while it was large and had gone relatively deep, it was not something he needed to be concerned with yet.

"Jin?" Kakashi shifted closer to see what had happened.

"I'm fine. It's not bad. Missed everything important." Jin replied, wincing as he straightened up again. He put his hand over the wound, careful not to jar the ice shard. It would melt on its own, and for now it was keeping him from losing too much blood. "We're not far now, anyway. We'll make it back to the village before it actually becomes a problem."

As much as Kakashi looked like he wanted to argue, he seemed to realize that there wasn't really another option. He nodded slightly, but frowned when he noticed the blood dripping from Jin's nose.

Jin smiled at him faintly, and continued walking. He tried to walk faster so that they could make it back more quickly, and was relieved to see the faint outlines of the village just up ahead. He quickened his pace even more, stopping when they managed to reach one of the buildings.

"Do you want to try to make it back to my house or ask for shelter in one of these houses? I can't guarantee that anyone will open the door, though…" Jin asked, leaning against the barrier again for a moment.

"Your house. If no one will be opening the door, then it would be a waste of time to try anything else." Kakashi replied, looking like he didn't want to admit how cold he was.

Jin gave a slight nod, and straightened up again. He kept walking through the village, heading in the direction of his home. He was relieved when they reached the trees that hid his house from view, and picked up the pace again.

When they finally reached his house, Jin began shoving the extra snow away from the door, and fished out his key. He fumbled with it for a while, just trying to get it into the lock, before he managed to unlock the door.

As soon as the door was open, Jin stepped back and let the barrier drop. He nudged Kakashi inside and followed him in. He turned and slammed the door shut, relieved to find that it was very warm inside. It looked as if the others had made it back home before the blizzard had hit.

The door slamming seemed to have alerted the genin and Yui that they had returned, because a moment later Hakaru came bounding down the hall. His face lit up the moment he realized that it was, in fact, Jin that had come in through the door.

Hakaru flung himself at Jin, wrapping his arms around him tightly in a hug. "You're okay! I was so worried! I'm sorry I'm such a bad little brother! I'm an awful liar, and a mean, mean person! I'm so sorry!" He wailed, squeezing his sightless eyes shut tightly as tears slowly began forming.

Jin caught him, stumbling back slightly. He hissed in pain when Hakaru jarred his wound, but said nothing about it. "Hakaru-chan, what are you talking about?" A shiver ran through him. He hadn't realized how cold he was until now.

"I've been pretending that I don't know how to speak right for years! Raizo-chan thought it was funny and cute that you never figured it out! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm just glad you're okay…" Hakaru's voice rose into a crescendo.

The absurdity of his confession was enough to make Jin laugh, despite the pain it caused him to do so. "Hakaru-chan, calm down. It's okay." He ruffled his hair and carefully set Hakaru down. "You're silly. I'm not happy that you lied, but I really can't be mad at you since you're so worried."

Hakaru sniffled a little and rubbed at his eyes. His nose wiggled a little. "Wha? I smell blood." He tipped his head to the side slightly, leaning closer to Jin. His attention shifted immediately when Chikara groaned weakly in Kakashi's arms. "He's hurt."

Jin frowned, growing serious again. "He is." He turned and nudged Kakashi farther inside. "Set him down on the couch, please."

As Kakashi did so, everyone gathered around to take a look at Chikara. Hakaru nudged them away, his hands already glowing green with healing chakra.

While their attention was focused on Hakaru and Chikara, Jin turned and limped off towards his room. He would tend to his own wounds in the adjoining bathroom. He didn't want Hakaru to exhaust himself by healing both him and Chikara.

Jin went into his room, going right to the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and locked it quietly, even though the lock didn't work. Taking a moment to compose himself first, he opened the cabinet under the sink and retrieved the surplus of bandages he kept inside.

Carefully, he stripped down to just his pants and sat down in the bathtub. He didn't want to get blood all over the place. It would be a pain in the ass to clean up later, and he didn't really want to deal with that.

He leaned back against the tub and looked down at his wound. The icy shard was already beginning to melt, dripping into the tub with a reddish tint. Jin wondered if he should even bother yanking it out and just leave it to melt in its own time. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to rest. He was just closing his eyes when there was a knock at the door.

"Jin?" It was Kakashi.

"You can come in. The lock is broken." Jin replied, opening his eyes to stare up at the ceiling absentmindedly.

He didn't react when the door opened quietly, or when it snapped shut again with a soft 'click.' He knew that he must look like hell; lying down in the bathtub, one arm hanging lazily over the side, bloody water slowly staining the bottom of the tub red.

Kakashi let out a sigh, crouching down next to the tub. "Sit up. Your nose is still bleeding." When Jin slowly struggled to sit up, Kakashi helped him, placing one hand on his back to support him. He used his other hand to pinch the bridge of his nose and tilt his head back. "Sit still for a bit. The bleeding will stop soon."

Jin let him do as he pleased, not even flinching once when Kakashi touched him. "Be honest with me, how bad do I look right now?" He asked quietly, his voice high and nasally because his nose was still being pinched.

Kakashi hummed, watching Jin with his one visible eye. "Could be worse."

While it was true, it didn't make him feel much better. He got the impression that he sort of looked like a zombie or something similar.

He was sickly pale, and it seemed to exaggerate the dark circles under his eyes. The shard of ice protruding from his abdomen didn't really help much either.

"You don't have to be so nice to me. I know I look like shit, so it doesn't really matter anyway." Jin was having a hard time caring about anything right now. Now that they were all safe and sound, he was relaxing. If the state he was in could be called relaxing.

"I wasn't being nice. I was being honest." Kakashi replied, smiling faintly under his mask. "You look fine to me. Except for the fact that you're hurt, I mean."

Jin shifted his gaze to Kakashi slowly, eyes half closed. He smiled faintly, expression softening. "Thank you. But if that's an attempt to charm me, you're gonna have to try harder than that." He teased in a playful whisper.

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle. "Glad to see you've still got your sense of humor. I was almost getting worried." After a moment, he let go of Jin's nose, relieved to see that it had stopped bleeding. One less thing to worry about. His gaze drifted down towards the melting ice. "I hate to break this to you, but that needs to come out sooner rather than later."

With a groan, Jin let his head loll backwards. "I know." He closed his eyes, listening as Kakashi sat on the edge of the tub next to him. "Mind helping me out? My hands are shaking too badly right now…"

Kakashi frowned, glancing at Jin's hands. "You can get something to eat after this." He replied, leaning closer. With only a moment's hesitation, he reached down and grasped the melting ice shard, pausing momentarily when Jin flinched. "I'm sorry about this."

Jin let out a sigh, and adjusted himself enough so that he could press his face against Kakashi's side. "Sorry, I just know this is gonna hurt…" His voice was muffled slightly against him.

"...it's okay." Kakashi replied softly, adjusting his grip on the the ice shard. He watched Jin for a moment before yanking the ice shard out with a spray of blood.

Jin automatically grabbed onto Kakashi's arm, his cry of pain muffled against Kakashi's shirt. His breathing grew pained and ragged as Kakashi dropped the ice shard in the tub and began working on disinfecting the wound.

While it only took Kakashi a few minutes to clean and wrap his wound, it felt like an eternity. Had he not been able to hold onto to Kakashi like that, Jin felt like he wouldn't have been able to handle the pain.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked quietly, concern clear in his one visible eye. He noticed the scrape across Jin's throat and frowned. When he didn't answer, Kakashi sighed and went on to clean the scrape. At least it had stopped bleeding. "Jin?" He asked again when he had finished.

"I'm...I'm okay. Thank you." Jin slowly pulled away from Kakashi, trying to ease his breathing. He looked worse than before. "Would you mind getting me a change of clothes…?"

Kakashi hesitated for a long moment before nodding. He got up, ruffling Jin's hair a little, and left the bathroom for a moment.

Jin leaned back in the tub while he waited, wishing all the pain would just go away for a while. To him, it seemed like he was constantly messing himself up. There was hardly a moment anymore where he wasn't messing himself up. He supposed he couldn't be too mad about it, though, because he had at least made new friends. They'd really become quite precious to him.

The door opened as Kakashi returned. "Can you change by yourself?" He asked, quirking one eyebrow when he saw how sleepy Jin looked. "You can't sleep in the bathtub."

"I know, I know...I think I can change by myself…" Jin opened his eyes and slowly stood, only to lose his balance. He snapped his eyes shut again as he fell, unable to catch himself in time. However, he didn't hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked softly.

Jin opened his eyes, finding his face pressed close to Kakashi's chest. Kakashi's arms were looped under his own, keeping him from falling any further. He looked up slowly, watching as Kakashi's eye crinkled into a smile.

"Yes, I just slipped. Thank you." Jin replied, letting Kakashi help him out of the tub. He was almost disappointed when he let go; Kakashi was much warmer than he was. "I think I'll be okay now." He put his hand on the counter to balance himself.

"I'll be waiting outside if you need me." Kakashi made sure that Jin had his balance before turning and leaving, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Jin waited until the door shut before he glanced at himself in mirror. The sight almost made him laugh. There was no way anyone would pay attention to him now. He looked awful, and it was almost a relief because he wouldn't get any unwanted attention right now. Not that he was anywhere that would lead to him getting any unwanted attention, but it was still a relief to him.

Staring at himself for a moment longer, he slowly began to change, taking care not to lose his balance again. When he was done, he opened the door and shuffled out to Kakashi. It was all he could do to keep his eyes open he was so tired.

On his bed, curled up together were Runa and Chikara, both already fast asleep. He didn't mind at all that they'd taken it. The couch would be perfectly fine for him to sleep on.

Jin glanced at Kakashi, who had been standing right next to the door. He smiled faintly and linked arms with him. It was mostly so that he didn't lose his balance again, and it was nice to have support considering the pain he was in. With a small sigh, he pulled Kakashi out of the room and down the hall to the living room, where the fire was crackling softly in the fireplace.

He smiled faintly and sat Kakashi down on the couch, while he grabbed a few extra blankets and a pillow. "I know it probably won't be all that comfortable, but do you want to share the couch with me? It's too cold to sleep on the floor, and those chairs aren't really good for sleeping. I've tried sleeping on them before…"

"...I suppose." There was only a moment of hesitation before Kakashi replied.

Jin was far too tired to care about how close together they would be. He just wanted to lie down. "Good. You can lie down first, if you want. I...I'm gonna grab something to drink…" He turned and slowly went to the kitchen, grabbing himself a glass of water.

When he returned, Kakashi had laid down and taken his headband off. His eyes were already closed, though it didn't look like he was asleep yet.

Jin grabbed the blankets again, taking a sip of his water and setting it down. Then he carefully laid down next to Kakashi. He carefully spread the blankets over the both of them, and plopped his head down the pillow.

He was out the moment he closed his eyes.

* * *

Jin was the first to wake the next morning, startled out of a restful sleep by a stab of pain that came from his wound. He opened his eyes slowly, coming to the realization that he had somehow ended up shifting to face Kakashi while he slept.

It was a surprise to find himself so close to Kakashi that their noses were almost touching, to say the least. It was more of a surprise to find that Kakashi had put his arm around him sometime in the night.

Finding himself feeling rather shy, Jin slipped out from under Kakashi's arm and unsteadily rose to his feet. He rubbed his cheeks, feeling like they were burning. Trying to hide his embarrassment, he shuffled to the kitchen slowly to make something to eat.

A quick glance out the window told him everything he needed to know. The raging blizzard had vanished to be replaced with gentle snowfall, and hardly a breeze. It seemed that Rikichi had run out of chakra, and had had to let the weather fade back to normal.

It was a relief. They were all safe now, and the village wouldn't have to cancel their festival. Reminded of the festival, Jin wondered if he should bring the genin and everyone else along to where it would be held. There were plenty of things to do, and he supposed that it would keep them all entertained.

Runa and Chikara concerned him, though. He didn't think they would be well enough to go, Chikara especially. He decided to think about that later, after he had properly woken up.

Making a pot of coffee, Jin let out a sigh. He leaned back against the counter and stared up at the ceiling while he waited for it to brew. Once again, he had a lot on his mind. Something told him that there was a storm brewing just on the horizon.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he put his hand against his chest as if to remind himself that his heart was still beating.

Whatever was to come, he would face it head on.

* * *

Dressed in warm clothes, Jin glanced around the festival grounds with a faint smile. The sun had already set, and it was the moon shining high in the sky instead. For whatever reason, it was always clear on festival nights.

Yui had decided to stay and keep an eye on Chikara and Runa, claiming that it was too cold for her old bones. He had promised to take a lot of pictures for her while they were there.

So there he was, trying to get everyone to sit still for him to take a picture with his old polaroid camera. It was the first thing he had spent money on when he was little, and he'd paid dearly for it. He'd thought the pain was worth it since he'd be able to take pictures with Kaoru. He'd taken very good care of it.

"Come on, you guys, sit still! I don't care if it's awkward for you guys to be so close together." Jin glared at the offending idiots, Kiba and Sasuke. At least Hinata and Sakura didn't seem to be having any problems. "Hakaru-chan, do your thing."

Hakaru grinned wickedly, and flung one arm around Sasuke and the other around Kiba, forcing them closer together. "Better?" He asked, holding the pair still with an iron grip. He was surprisingly strong for someone who resembled a twig.

"Much better! Now, Hatake-sama, you get in the picture, too, or I'll have Hakaru-chan do the same thing to you." Jin grinned at him mischievously.

Kakashi, standing next to Jin, regarded him thoughtfully. "Hm…" Without warning, he grabbed Jin's wrist and pulled him over to the others, moving to stand just behind them. "Shouldn't you be in the picture, too?"

Jin blinked at Kakashi in surprise, but smiled slightly. "Very well, then." He flipped the camera and held it out, careful to get everyone in the picture before snapping it.

He pulled away from them and took the photo from the camera. He shook it several times, waiting for it to set, and smiled when he saw that it had come out quite nicely. He was going to make copies for them all later.

Jin tucked the picture safely in his pocket, and grinned at all of the genin. "Have at it! Go enjoy yourselves! Hakaru can show you around if you're not comfortable wandering around on your own."

As the genin and Hakaru scattered, Jin watched them go with a soft smile. He was glad that Hinata was beginning to cheer up.

He could tell that Hinata's confidence was beginning to grow. Perhaps it was the uncanny way that Hakaru always stared at her without actually having to have sight to see her for who she was, or Kiba's loyalty and support as her teammate and friend. Right now, she looked the happiest she had since before her kidnapping, her smile radiant. Jin was happy that she was recovering so rapidly, but he did wonder if she would be able to overcome her fears after such a traumatic experience. He shook his head, dismissing that thought. He had talked with her seriously during one of the first days they had arrived in his home village.

"Do you want to stick together?" Kakashi's voice jerked him out of his thoughts.

"Hm? Sure." Jin smiled, following Kakashi's gaze to where he'd been hit by the flying ice shard. He supposed Kakashi must be concerned, since he hadn't let Hakaru heal him.

In all honesty, Jin probably shouldn't have been up and moving around so much with an injury like that, but he was never one to sit still. He often got bored sitting around and doing nothing. He'd spent the majority of his childhood doing just about everything, and old habits died hard.

"Where do you want to start first? Food stalls? Games? Regular stalls? The main event will begin later, so we've got plenty of time before then." Jin tilted his head much the same way a cat would.

"I'm happy with whatever you decide." Kakashi shrugged, sliding his hands into his pockets and eyeing Jin lazily.

Jin smirked and linked arms with him. "Come on, then. Let's check out some of the stalls before we eat. There's always a lot of cool things here." He dragged Kakashi along the lantern-lit path, sticking to one side to look at all the things for sale.

Everything in the stalls were handmade, each ornate hairpin, each kimono. It was clear with each piece that a lot of time and effort had been put into making every piece that was for sale there. The villagers of Hontenkai took great pride everything they did and made, seeing each piece as its own unique piece of art.

"You're gonna wanna take a souvenir home, Hatake-sama, so pick whatever you want, and I'll buy it for you. My treat." Jin offered, the expression on his face implying that he wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Hm…" Kakashi looked almost mischievous as he considered Jin's words. "Only if you call me by my first name. No honorifics."

Jin's face went crimson, and he averted his eyes. "But...that's not proper." He mumbled, shuffling his feet.

"You're the one who said we're friends." Kakashi pointed out, a smile in his voice. "So if we're friends, wouldn't you call me by my first name? I call you by yours."

"Ahh...I suppose you're right…" He mumbled, not quite sure how to take that.

"Then just say my name." Kakashi was obviously enjoying this, barely able to contain his laughter.

"Fine, fine, Ha...I mean, Kakashi…" Jin ducked his head, rubbing his face vigorously.

"There we go. That's much better." Kakashi glanced around, a little more at ease than Jin had seen him before.

Severals hours and pictures later, Jin, Kakashi, and the others had all found seats on the festival grounds to lie down for the show.

"This is the best part of the festival, so I hope you're ready for this." Jin said, staring up at the clear sky. The moon was beginning to set, leaving the sky clear for whatever the villagers had planned.

Everyone went silent as they stared at the sky, and suddenly there was a sound like a cannon blast bursting into the air. The leaf shinobi all flinched, though Jin and the rest of the villagers hardly batted an eye.

There was a burst of bright blue light right in the center of their field of vision, miraculously shaped like a serpentine dragon.

The fireworks were gorgeous, detailed enough for those familiar with the fairy tale to recognize what the dragon symbolized. Small bursts of light lit up right where the dragon's eyes would be.

Unlike normal fireworks, these didn't fade out, instead remaining brilliantly in the sky. The was another blast, this time a multitude of colors bursting into the sky, forming the shape of a tall man with dark hair and brilliantly green eyes.

Just like the last one, this image remained clear in the sky.

As soon as both were in the sky, they began to move as if they had minds of their own. The man offered his hand to the dragon, who sniffed it and curled closely around the man.

There was another bang, and a dark purple burst of light appeared in the sky, showing up as a much larger dragon.

The small dragon let go of the man and went to the big dragon, bowing its little head. The large dragon tapped the little one's head at the same time there was another blast.

There was a bright light before the small dragon vanished, replaced by the image of a beautiful woman with black hair and violet eyes. The woman turned and ran back to the man's side, leaping into his arms while he swung her around in circles.

Once more, there was another blast, the lights forming the image of a man with dark red hair and amber eyes. He snuck up behind the spinning couple, while the large dragon shattered to form several little children with black hair and violet eyes running around them.

The red-haired man drew a blade of blinding white light and thrust it through the woman. Her image burst in the sky, spraying out into the sky to mimic the stars.

Face contorted into rage, the black haired man chased after the now fleeing killer of his lover.

As they chased each other across the sky, their features shifted and changed until they both stopped chasing, instead facing each other.

The new pair, a delicate red haired man with amber eyes and a violet eyed man with black hair circled each other carefully. They reached for each other, then pulled back before reaching out and clasping hands once more, drawing ever closer to each other.

Kotaro and Yoshihisa.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I present you with another chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for reading! You guys have no idea how excited I am to get the next chapter out! Some shit's 'bout to go down! Someone's gonna die, but _who?_ Or maybe no one will die! Anyway, I'm gonna be busy for the next few days, so I won't be able to write in that time. The next update might take a little longer, but I hope it will be worth it! Also, I should mention, that later in September, I will be starting back up at college again, so I may not have as much time to write and update until winter break! Anyway, thanks for reading again!**

 **sarahgri99: I'm glad you enjoyed the update! There will definitely be more of those things, so _prepare yourself!_ :D**

 **Trisana: I'm so glad you're enjoying how their relationship is right now! Writing their interactions is one of my favorite parts of writing each chapter! They're just...gah, it's just a lot of fun to write! I actually hadn't thought of writing a story about the characters from all the little parts about the past, though I did consider at one point writing a story about Jin's life before coming to the Leaf. :0 I might consider doing something like that with one or both of those, though, if I've got the time, and if there's enough interest. Though, it certainly wouldn't be updated as often as Remnants is, since I won't have as much time.**

 **What do the rest of you guys think? Would you be interested in reading more about the Yuki/Shiraishi clan? You would definitely have the chance to learn more about the characters there, whereas, you won't learn much else other than what's essential to the plot line about them in Remnants. I'll set up a poll in a little bit to see what you guys think about it.**

 **Also, I just got my drawing tablet, so I've been practicing digital art, and maybe I'll start doodling some of the characters or scenes from Remnants! Super excited!**

 **ANyway, thank you for reading, and sorry for such a long author's note! Until next time!**

 **Edit: You can find the poll on my profile now! Please vote! Thank you!**


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"I understand, Mizukage-sama. We're ready to go. I just need to brief the leaf shinobi and Ran-hime and Koichi-sama before we go. We'll get there on time, though, so you don't have to worry." Jin smiled at Terumi Mei, showing not even an ounce of his anxiety.

"Good." Mei replied, studying him curiously for a moment. "When you find out who's responsible, you need only bring back their head."

"As you say, Mizukage-sama." Jin bowed low and turned to leave. He stopped when Mei spoke his name again.

"Shiraishi…" Her voice was hesitant, as if she wasn't quite sure how to approach the question she wanted to ask.

"Mizukage-sama?" He asked curiously, turning to face her again. The expression on her face made him frown. "What is it?"

"It's safe, isn't it? His body, I mean. You can guarantee that no one can get to it, right? I've been hearing whispers, and I want to make sure that they can't use him against us." She meant Raizo's body, and Jin knew it instantly.

Offering her a strained smile, Jin nodded. "The only way for someone to get to him would be to kill me. Don't worry, though, if I end up dying, I'll send you a message so that you can send someone to destroy his body when my defenses fail." He assured.

Normally, the bodies of all shinobi from Kiri were disposed of in a way that made it impossible for someone to steal village secrets from, or to prevent anyone from attempting to reanimate them, namely Orochimaru. Terumi Mei had been kind enough to let Jin bury Raizo instead, in exchange for his promise that he would make sure that no one could ever use that against the village.

Jin had agreed without hesitation. It had helped give Hakaru some closure, and had given Jin somewhere to go when he needed to feel close to Raizo.

The defenses he had set up were the greatest accomplishments he'd made in his life thus far. Completely impenetrable, his ice surrounded Raizo's body deep beneath the ground, protecting him in a way that he had not been able to accomplish when he was alive. It was bound by more than the chakra he'd imbued in it. He'd bound it with every shred of love he'd had for Raizo. He'd bound the ice to his life in a way that he'd never done before, thus protecting Raizo in death in the hopes that it could make up for his failure to protect him while he was still alive.

"Thank you. You may go now." The Mizukage spoke quietly, watching as Jin bowed once more and left.

The scene Jin was greeted with when he left her office did not make him happy. Two of Kiri's hunter nin stood calmly, one holding Kiba back, and the other holding back a tall woman with eyes like chips of ice. Sakura glared at the woman, one arm wrapped around a shaking Hinata. Hakaru merely had his nose wrinkled in disgust. Only Sasuke and Kakashi looked the same as always, though when he studied them more closely, he could see the tension in their limbs.

The two hunter nin looked over mechanically. "Keep your subordinates in line, Fubuki." The taller one spoke, his voice just as mechanical as his movements. They almost seemed more like puppets than something living.

"Ao, Midori, let them go." Jin ordered coldly, stepping in between Kiba and the woman. The moment he spoke, both hunter nin let go of their respective captives. "You can leave now. I'll handle this."

Ao and Midori turned and walked the rest of the way to the Mizukage's office, which seemed to have been their destination before whatever had happened happened.

"What happened?" Jin asked, glancing between Kiba and the woman.

"Oh, I was just saying how nice it would be to test some things on that pretty little girl. Mizukage-sama won't let me test on children anymore, though. It's a shame. It really would let me improve." The woman spoke first, eyeing Hinata maliciously.

The woman didn't have a chance to move out of the way before Jin had her by her throat. "Ran, I will _not_ tolerate this behavior. Lay a hand on any of them, and I will gut you." His voice was cold and detached, so much different from how he usually spoke.

Ran snorted, a wheezing laugh escaping her lips, despite the fact that it was becoming painful for her to breathe. She watched him with her hazy blue eyes half-lidded. "No, you won't. You're the Mizukage's loyal dog, and she'd punish you if you did anything stupid, don't you know?"

Jin bared his teeth slightly in a feral snarl. "Just try me. You're under my orders now. Follow them, or we'll have problems again." A moment later, he let go of Ran and turned to face Kakashi and the others, his expression back to the way it normally was. "Inuzuka-sama, in light of what just happened, you will be staying here with Chikara-sama, Runa-hime, and Takigawa-hime. I cannot afford to have conflict among us, especially when this is meant to be a mission to build a bond between the Mist and the Leaf."

Ran barked out a laugh behind him. "Really? That's how you want to play this?" She wrapped an arm around his neck, dragging him down to her height. "Fine, then. I'll do as I'm told, but don't blame me if this whole thing crashes down around you."

Jin ignored her. "We should get ready to go. Once we've got our things together, we'll meet at the gates and head out. I'll brief you guys on the way." He told the leaf shinobi.

As he turned away, he heard the door to the Mizukage's office open and shut again. He stopped, noting how unusual it was for Ao and Midori to leave the same way they had entered. Seeing them stop and stare at him, Jin heaved a sigh.

"Mizukage-sama wishes for us to accompany you. You will still be in charge, but after what we saw out here, she has decided that there should be others to ensure that there are no unnecessary casualties." Midori explained robotically, his gaze sliding towards Ran. "That ones still does not know her place."

"That's wise. More of us will make it easier to contain her if she does something she shouldn't again." Jin commented, pretending as if Ran weren't even there until she cleared her throat. "Oh, I forgot you were still here. Take this as a warning, Ran; anything suspicious will not be tolerated. Ao, Midori, we'll meet you at the gates. See you there."

Once they had separated, Jin led his companions back to the rooms at the inn he had booked for them while they stayed in Kiri.

For some reason he could not pinpoint, a sense of dread had hardened in his stomach. He wanted to shake it off, but he had learned early on to trust his intuition, if nothing else. He could not help but feel that something was going to go terribly wrong, or that there was some key piece of _something_ that he was missing.

Shaking his head, he pushed the inn door open and let the leaf nin file through. Then he led the way up to their rooms. "Get ready quickly." He said, absentmindedly fumbling for his room key.

When he found it, he fumbled around with the lock a little more before managing to get the door open. He went in, Kakashi just behind him, hands in his pockets.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question? It's been bothering me for a while now." Kakashi asked, and though on the exterior he sounded as he usually did, Jin heard the hesitance in his question.

"Go for it." Jin replied, pulling on his metal-plated gloves. He glanced up at him curiously, flexing his fingers to loosen up the metal along the fingers; he had replaced the dented metal with new pieces, and they still needed to be worked in.

"Why did you return to your parent's house the other night, after what your stepfather did to you?" Kakashi spoke cautiously, knowing it wasn't his business, but curious all the same.

Jin stared at him for a moment and blinked. "I needed to pick up a few things that belonged to my real father. Something's been bothering me, but I haven't been able to figure out what exactly it is. I thought that I might find some answers in those things. In hindsight, I could have waited until my parents were out of the house, but...I dunno. I guess I was hoping that they had changed in the time that I haven't seen them. I...I thought...no, never mind about that."

Kakashi frowned a little beneath his mask, but didn't question him anymore. "I see." He replied softly, beginning to pack his things up.

Jin sighed and shook his head slightly. He picked up his metal chestplate and stared at it for a moment before putting it on, latching the straps securely. He wondered briefly if it was time to update his armor a bit. After all, he seemed to be taking the most hits where he was unguarded. It would be nice to find something that could effectively cover his now-scarred arm. He had been gaining a lot of scars recently. Not that he minded much, since they were reminders of his time in Konoha.

Stretching out, Jin glanced at Kakashi. "Are you ready to go?" He asked, going over to the boxes he'd brought from his parent's house and digging through one until he found what he was looking for; an old book bound with dark leather.

"Whenever you are." Kakashi replied, waiting by the door for him.

Jin smiled and went over to him. "Let's get going, then. I should warn you, though, missions in the Mist never go as planned. I've had C-ranked missions turn into S-ranked missions before. But I've only ever had one mission like that where one of us didn't come back alive, so you don't have to worry too much about your students. Not to mention the fact that we've got Ao and Midori with us."

"I see. I imagine we'll get an explanation of it soon?" Kakashi asked, following as Jin went Yui's room to check on Chikara and Runa, who would be staying with both Kiba and Yui while they were gone.

"Yeah, I'll explain when we're all together." Jin knocked on the door before opening it. He peeked inside and smiled slightly when he saw his newfound siblings curled up asleep together on one of the beds. He slipped into the room and went to their side for a moment. He put his hand against each of their foreheads in turn to make sure that their temperatures were normal. It would be lying to say he wasn't worrying too much over them, but he was worried about their injuries becoming infected.

With a small sigh, he stepped back and returned to Kakashi's side, shutting the door carefully behind him. Not making eye contact, he turned and went to the other room, where the genin were staying. He was pleased to find that they were all ready to go and waiting.

"Here, Hyuuga-hime, I brought something to cheer you up a bit." Jin handed Hinata the book he had dug out earlier. "I realized that I hadn't explained what the fireworks were about at the festival. We don't get many visitors this time of year, so we don't often tell the story as the display is going on. This has the majority of the story, though. It's kind of a fairy tale. I used to read it to my brother before he died, and it's just been sitting around ever since...so I figure that someone else could use it."

Hinata took the book carefully, and looked down at the worn and faded cover. "T-thank you." She replied, a smile forming on her face for the first time in several days.

Jin ruffled her hair up and glanced at Kakashi. "Let's go. Once we meet up with the others, I'll explain everything." He smiled and led them all out of the inn, making sure that Kiba wasn't trying to sneak along with them.

Ran and Koichi were standing at the gates waiting for them by the time they arrived, as well as two shinobi that looked just a few years older than the genin. They nodded mechanically to Jin when the group approached, faces devoid of emotion.

"Great, now you're here. Ao and Midori aren't here yet. For hunter nin, they're not very punctual, are they?" Ran snapped, rolling her eyes. "And these two brats have been standing here like lost puppies the whole time we've been here. Who the hell are they?" She glanced at them, eyes narrowed.

Jin snorted and exchanged a glance with the two expressionless shinobi. "Ran... _they're_ Ao and Midori. You should be a bit nicer to your superiors, especially since they rank so much higher than you do, as hunter nin."

"...they're hunter nin…?" Hinata asked, eyeing the two shinobi curiously. They looked so much different out of their standard hunter nin uniforms, so much younger. "They're not much older than we are…"

Ao and Midori exchanged another glance, faint amusement flickering across their faces before vanishing into the emptiness they'd been trained to feel. "We had the best teacher." They spoke in unison, quirking their heads to the side identically.

"No, you didn't. Kita Kaze doesn't take students." Koichi spoke for the first time, rolling his eyes. "Especially not since he dragged his partner's corpse back home after failing to bring back his target's head. He won't even take another partner."

"Ah, actually, Koichi-sama, that's not true. He does take students, when they've proven themselves well enough that he's certain they'll be able to survive his training. He would never consider someone like you. You can't even make it into ANBU, so…" Jin smiled pleasantly at him. "At least your sister managed that."

Ignoring when her brother tried to go after Jin, Ran quirked her head to the side. "How would you know all that?"

"Hm…" Jin sidestepped out of Koichi's line of attack as if he were a child. "Well, maybe because he's an acquaintance of mine. As I'm sure you already, I'm also a hunter nin. We've worked together many times before."

"Then tell me this: is he really everything the rumors claim he is?" Ran came over and dragged her brother away before he could attack Jin again.

Jin closed his eyes for a moment, humming as he thought about his answer. He could feel everyone's gazes on him, questioning. "Yes, he really is what the rumors say. He's a monster, loyal only to Mizukage-sama and the partner he lost. Any disrespect towards either of those two, and you'd be lucky if you survived his rage. He keeps his identity so well hidden that only Mizukage-sama and his partner know who he really is."

He opened his eyes again and shrugged. "That's not really what's important right now, though, is it? We've got a mission to handle, and Kita Kaze won't have any part in it."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "What's important now is our task."

Jin smiled at him to show that he appreciated his support. "Our destination is a large island to the south. The lord who rules over the island has recently been having problems with murders in his mansion. We're going there to determine who the murderer is. First, though, we'll be stopping off at a small port town to meet up with the Daimyo's oldest son. He's supposed to attend a banquet on the island we're headed to, and as a security measure, we'll be taking his place. It will help us infiltrate the castle, and snoop around without being caught. Oh, I should mention that the lord is going to be holding a gala, and it would be rather disastrous to not catch the killer before then."

"That sounds like something you could take of on your own. Why drag so many of us into it?" Ran snarled. "I've got quite a bit of important _research_ to be attending to."

"You mean testing your poisons on civilian children and helpless animals?" Jin questioned coldly. "You are here because each victim has been poisoned. You need to identify who made it, and then we can trace who acquired it, if it's not being used by whoever made it. If it were up to me, you wouldn't be here."

"Tch, you couldn't do it without her, so don't so don't act like you're better than her." Koichi cut in before his sister could reply. "The only reason _you're_ here, is because you're a whore, who could charm a tailed beast."

Jin rolled his eyes, the smile spreading across his face cold and humorless. "Yes, you _would_ know, wouldn't you? You're the one who beats courtesans bloody and kills prostitutes, after all. Moving on from that; do any of you have questions? We'll discuss our plan with more detail when we get to the port town."

When no one spoke up, Jin took it that they understood their mission. He picked up the pace, knowing very well how bad it would get the longer they were stuck with Ran and Koichi.

* * *

" _Aniki! Aniki!" Emi toddled into Kotaro's room, stumbling in her attempt to slam the door in her caretaker's face. "I don't wanna sleep! Don't make me sleep!"_

 _Kotaro sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Emi-chan?"_

" _Waaaaaa, lemme go! Lemme go! I want my aniki! I don't wanna sleep!" Emi struggled the moment her caretaker pushed into the room and picked her up._

" _Emi-sama, stop it this minute! I will not put up with a tantrum! You are almost five years old, and the Daimyo's precious daughter! Behave as such!" Her caretaker barked. Then she looked up at Kotaro and bowed her head briefly. "Forgive me, Kotaro-sama, for allowing this brat to interrupt your rest after such a long time at war. I won't let her bother you again."_

" _Put her down, Nadeshiko. She's not bothering me." Kotaro slowly got to his feet, hiding a wince of pain when the movement pulled at his wounds._

 _The Land of Water had been at war with the Land of Lightning for over fifteen years now and neither side had gained ground until Kotaro had joined the war a year ago. As heir to the Daimyo's throne, and the most talented shinobi since the first Daimyo of their family line, Yuki Kiri, he had, with the help of Ikki, changed the tides of the war. The Land of Lightning had surrendered three weeks ago, but Kotaro had had to stay on the border, weeding out those that didn't support the surrender until it had been made official. He'd been wounded badly the day they'd started their journey home._

 _The moment Nadeshiko put Emi down, the little girl sprinted over to her oldest brother, and hid behind his legs. She pulled her lower eyelid down and stuck her tongue out at her caretaker. "Nyeh!"_

" _You can go now, Nadeshiko. I'll take care of her now, so you don't have to worry." Kotaro said gently, watching as the woman hesitated, but eventually nod and exit the room, shutting the door behind her quietly._

" _Yay! I don't hafta go to sleep! Yay! Yay! Yay!" Emi bounced out from behind Kotaro and bounced around the room, happy as could be._

" _Emi-chan, come here for a moment." Kotaro said softly. It was the first time he'd seen his little sister since before he'd entered the war. He'd just arrived home yesterday, while Ikki had arrived home two days before him._

 _Immediately, Emi returned to her brother's side, lifting her arms up so that he could pick her up when he crouched down to her level. She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled close. "I missed you, aniki!" She squeezed him as tightly as she could, not seeming to notice when he winced in pain._

" _I missed you, too." Kotaro held her close, closing his eyes for a moment. "You've gotten so big. I suppose it's about time for you to start your training now, if you haven't already."_

" _Mhm! Mhm!" Emi nodded her head rapidly, smiling brightly at her big brother. "Started after you left!"_

 _Kotaro smiled at her gently. "Good, good. I'm very proud of you." He paused for a moment. "Why don't you want to go to sleep?"_

 _Emi ducked her head, refusing to look at her big brother. "Papa told me that a big dragon will eat me, if I don't act like a lady. I don't wanna be a lady, I wanna be a kunoichi! Nadeko won't look under my bed for dragons, and I don't wanna be eaten in my sleep!"_

 _Barely managing to hide his snarl of anger, Kotaro patted Emi's head. He was going to have a conversation with his father later. "Don't worry, Emi-chan, no dragon will ever harm you. You know, Kuraokami-sama is a dragon. His blood runs through our veins, and in turn we act as his messengers. Have Sayuri and Hisashi not told you of our history?"_

 _Emi shook her head, peeking up at Kotaro. "Nuh-uh." She rested her head against his shoulder, puffing her cheeks out. "Can I sleep here?"_

 _Kotaro frowned, nodding slightly. "Of course." He set her down on his bed and slowly went over to his closet, careful not to limp. He didn't want her to notice and worry. He opened the closet door and rifled around through his things until he came across what he was looking for. He closed the closet door and returned to his bed, where Emi had burrowed beneath the covers. With a smile, he sat down next to her, opening the book he had retrieved. "Emi, do you want to hear a story? It's our history."_

 _Emi poked her out from the covers and nodded. She scooted closer and snuggled against him as he leaned back against one of his pillows and the headboard._

" _Once upon a time, there lived a great shinobi, who went by the name Yuki Kiri. A man of no great family line, but bearing a pale imitation of our ability to manipulate ice, he quickly rose far above ordinary shinobi. He was a noble soul, unable to let anyone suffer, which led to his ascension as Daimyo. You see, the Daimyo before him was a tyrant running the country to the brink of destruction. The people, the lifeblood, of the country were dying needlessly of starvation, raids on the villages, and dying in pointless wars." Kotaro spoke softly, turning pages every so often._

" _I thought you were gonna tell me more about dragons." Emi pouted up at her big brother, pulling the blanket up farther so that she could cocoon herself._

" _Be patient, Emi-chan. We'll get to that. It came to the point where, Kiri infiltrated the Daimyo's personal shinobi, and killed him. He was hailed a hero, and when it came time to choose a new Daimyo, Yuki Kiri was chosen." Kotaro turned the page and smiled a bit._

" _For a year, he worked hard to return the country to its former glory, and it prospered greatly under his rule. But there came a time when those unhappy with his peaceful ideals set up a trap for him. He was told of a wonderful fishing spot, far to the north of the biggest island, and, not knowing of the rumors of the area, he went right for the fishing spot with his closest friends." Emi's gasp made him pause._

" _Did he die?! No one comes back from the island that way!" She peered up at Kotaro with wide, scared eyes._

" _Once a small, mist-shrouded island came into view, some strange force caused Kiri's ship to wreck, and he along with his friends was dragged under the water. When he awoke, he was sprawled across the sand of the very island he had been approaching, with no sign of his friends. The only living creature in view was a rather large dragon, scales as dark as a starless night and violet eyes like glittering gemstones."_

" _A dragon?! Is it gonna eat him?!" Emi couldn't help but speak up again, her eyes widening in shock._

" _Emi-chan, how am I ever going to finish the story if you keep interrupting me?" Kotaro asked gently. At his words, Emi quieted down immediately to listen. "The dragon had been watching Kiri to see if he would wake up, and she was very relieved when he did. However, Kiri was not at all pleased to see the dragon. Like any sane person, he was terrified. Not normally a coward, Kiri did anything he could think of to escape, even going so far as to dive back into the sea."_

 _Once again, Emi opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it again when she remembered what her brother had told her. She snuggled closer to her brother and looked up at him in anxious anticipation._

" _Kiri didn't get very far. He came across some sort of barrier that kept him from leaving the island. Eventually, the dragon had to go out and bring him back to shore. It took some coaxing, but eventually the dragon gained his trust, and once she had, she took him to the center of the island, all the while several pairs of eyes stared out at them from well hidden vantage points, wary of the newcomer. Unlike the dragon who had gained Kiri's trust, the rest of the dragons were wary and cautious of the newcomer. They would not act without their father's permission, and he would decide Kiri's fate."_

 _Kotaro paused, licking his lips. He took a breath and ruffled Emi's hair before continuing on with the story. "And so, the dragon presented Kiri to her father. For many years, she had been dreaming of meeting a human, and every time, her father had denied her the chance, fearing for her safety. The dragon feared greatly for the human's safety, but even she was not bold enough to do anything."_

" _The moment they reached the clearing in the center of the island was anticlimactic, and instead the tension in the air continued to rise, despite the fact that the clearing was empty. It did not remain empty for long. The sudden chill in the air and the vicious wind that whipped past them signalled the arrival of something much greater than any person or creature that Kiri had ever met. It was a presence so great that Kiri was forced to his knees in awe of it."_

 _Emi wiggled, biting her lip. She stared up at her brother, looking as if she were about to burst, but did not speak._

" _A heavy mist covered the area, and the earth quaked as something very large and very powerful landed just before Kiri and the dragon. Shaking in the presence of a powerful entity, Kiri forced himself to raise his head. The mist was so thick and dark that it hid the sight of the great entity before him. The only thing visible was a pair of violet eyes the size of a serving platter. 'Yuki Kiri, Daimyo of the Land of Water.' The great being rumbled, his voice like ten thousand shrine maidens crossing a stone floor at once." Kotaro paused once more, turning the page._

" _Though afraid, Kiri was not going to run away this time, no matter what awaited him beyond the mist. He slowly rose to his feet, staring into the eyes of a mighty god in a way no one had dared before. The god stared back, amused by his bravery. 'You have trespassed on a land no mortal has ever set foot on before. I should kill where you stand, but I will offer you a trial instead. If you pass, you shall be allowed to live, and will be returned safely to your home. If you fail, your soul is mine to take, and your land shall fall into ruin.' The god offered, eyes glinting like gemstones."_

 _Emi couldn't help it anymore. "Is the god gonna kill him?! Does he die?! What about that dragon?! Is she gonna gnaw on his bones when he dies?!"_

 _Kotaro poked her chubby cheek gently and waited until she had asked her questions before continuing on with the story. "Kiri considered the god's words very carefully before asking a question of his own. 'Before I make my decision, I want to know what you are called.' Already, the god was growing fond of this brave human. 'I am Kuraokami. Make your choice, human.' The choice was very easy for Kiri to make. His people needed him, and he was not going to let fear hold him back from returning home to them. Without a moment's hesitation, he accepted the trial."_

" _What's the trial? What is it?" Emi stifled a yawn, not wanting Kotaro to make her go to sleep when the story was getting so good. She wiggled to keep herself awake._

" _The god was gaining respect for this human that was brave enough to accept his trial when very few of his children even dared to look him in the eye. 'Very well. Your trial...is to face your inner demons, and to accept the truth behind them. Prove that they do not define you.' The god leaned forward, his scaly head finally visible and mist curling out of his nose. And so, the trial began. Even now, no one really knows those inner demons of his really were, but those who knew him said that he returned a stronger, kinder man. He passed the trial with flying colors, and though accepting the truth behind his demons brought him some small semblance of peace, it did not heal the wounds they had left on his soul. But even on his bad days, he remembered the truth."_

 _Emi frowned. "Is that it? Is that the end of the story?" She didn't even think to hide the disappoint in her voice._

" _No, it's not. After Kiri managed to pass his trial, he was allowed to leave for home, but there was one problem left unsolved. The dragon that had gained his trust was dead-set on going with him to the world of humans. She went to her father with more courage than any of her siblings had ever shown, and fiercely asked him to allow her to leave with the great shinobi. Kuraokami did not want to agree. Sending off his favorite daughter into a world of death was not something he wished to, especially considering the world's view on dragons. He could not refuse his daughter, though, and so he tapped her with a single claw, changing her from dragon to human. And so, equipped with her new human form, she set off back home on a small raft with Kiri."_

 _Kotaro glanced down at Emi just in time to catch her yawning. He smiled a bit and closed the book. "It's time for bed now. I'll finish telling you our history another night, alright?"_

 _Emi couldn't help but pout; she was hooked now, and she wanted to know what happened next. Still a child, she thought of this as a fairy tale and not the history that it really. She didn't realize that these were real lives, and that they were descended from these real people. She didn't understand the significance it would have for her past and future alike._

" _I don't wanna go to bed! Tell me more! I wanna know what happens!" She puffed her cheeks out in her very best impression of a pufferfish._

" _Emi-chan, you'll be tired when it comes time for your training tomorrow if you don't go to bed now. I won't tell you anymore if you don't go to bed, either." Kotaro warned gently._

 _Reluctantly, Emi curled up under the covers and rested her head on one of the pillows. She stared up at her big brother sleepily. "I missed you, aniki…" She mumbled, yawning once more. "Don't ever go away again…"_

 _Kotaro let out a small sigh. That wasn't something he could promise. "I can't promise that. But I do promise that I'll always come back to you, and to Ikki, and Hisashi, and Sayuri, too. No matter where or how far I go, I'll always come back."_

* * *

It took only two short days to reach the port town where they would meet with the Daimyo's heir. They were ahead of schedule, so they had at least a day for extra planning and preparation.

Jin had just received disturbing information from the Mizukage. They had managed to obtain a sample of the poison that had been used in the murders they were going to be investigating.

Once they had checked in to the inn they were staying at, Jin called aside Ao, Midori, and Kakashi to one of the rooms they had booked. He closed the door behind them and waited for them to find a place to sit. Ao and Midori chose to sit in the windowsill together, while Kakashi chose to sit in one of the rickety chairs. Jin remained standing.

"I've received word from Mizukage-sama. She told me that they've received a sample of the poison that's being used. They haven't finished analyzing it, but they've discovered the effects that it causes before death." He began slowly, not quite sure he wanted to continue, but knowing that he had to.

"Why is Minami Ran not included in this conversation?" Ao asked quietly, tilting his head. "She would be able to evaluate the poison and create an antidote of some sort, wouldn't she?"

"No, she wouldn't. She only makes poisons. She doesn't create antidotes for them. She would rather study the effects it has on you. Besides, she's built up enough of an immunity to poison that whatever this poison is probably won't affect her." Jin let out a sigh.

Kakashi studied Jin for a moment. "What are the effects that it has?"

"It's some sort of hallucinogenic, and from what I've heard, it's the worst they've encountered. Once it's in the bloodstream, it takes only about an hour before the hallucinations start, and after that, the organs begin to fail one by one. It takes days to die." Jin replied grimly. "Try not to get hit with it. And if you do...then let me know as soon as possible, so that I can summon Yukito-sama. I don't know if he'll be able to do anything about it, but it would be worth a try."

"Is that all?" Midori asked softly, his pale green hair falling in front of his eyes as he tilted his head.

Jin shook his head slightly. "No. Because of the threat of this poison, we're going to stick together in teams of two. That way, if one of us is hit with the poison, the other can get us somewhere safe so that I can have Yukito-sama do what he can for them."

"Have you decided who you're pairing together? If not, I respectfully request to be paired up with Midori." Ao cast a quick glance at Midori, his expression softening a fraction as he watched the watery sunlight light up his face.

Jin couldn't help but smile slightly. "Sorry, as great as you two are together, I've already decided who's paired together. Ao, you're with Haruno-hime. Midori, you're with Uchiha-sama. Hata…" He paused, catching himself, "Kakashi, you're with Hakaru-chan. And I'll stick with Hyuuga-hime. That leaves Ran and Koichi-sama together."

The two younger hunter nin exchanged a glance, but nodded without question. Kakashi watched Jin for a moment before finally nodding his assent.

"Great. I'll go tell Ran and Koichi-sama now. When I get back, I can answer any questions you have, and we can come up with a back-up plan in case things go wrong. It should only take a few minutes." Jin smiled, but didn't wait for an answer before leaving the room.

The moment he left the room, his smile faded and began to dread seeing Koichi. He briefly wondered if he should have brought one of the others along with him so that Koichi wouldn't try anything with him.

Jin shook his head. It would be fine as long as he kept it brief and kept his distance. So long as he wasn't easy to grab, Koichi would most likely leave him be. That was his hope, at least.

His hope was dashed the moment he opened the door to Koichi and Ran's shared room. Koichi was alone, and the moment he spotted Jin, a wide smirk spread across his face.

"You've been avoiding me." Koichi growled, stepping towards Jin. "And it looks like your guard dog isn't with you now."

Jin froze, his fear paralyzing him. "What...what do you mean?" He asked slowly, his heart beginning to race. "I don't have a dog."

Unbeknownst to Jin, Kakashi had been keeping a close eye on him. He had made sure that Koichi couldn't catch him alone. He had kept Jin as safe as he could from Koichi, perhaps realizing that there was bad blood between the pair.

Now, without Kakashi to keep an eye on Jin, Koichi saw his opportunity. He enjoyed making the younger shinobi suffer, knowing that it destroyed little pieces of him every time he laid a hand on him. Ever since Jin had beaten him in the Chuunin Exams so many years ago, he had hated him.

"Really now? Glad to hear it. You practically are one yourself, after all." Koichi continued to approached, and when he was close enough, he grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him into the room. He closed the door and locked it slowly.

Jin watched him, his heart sinking as the lock clicked shut. "Please don't do this." He whispered hoarsely. He jerked his wrist away from Koichi, and backed up slowly. As his back hit the wall, Koichi approached him, putting his hands on the wall on either side of his face.

Koichi leaned close to his ear. "Are you gonna stop me? This is what you deserve. After all...aren't you a professional? And if you don't cooperate...I'll just get what I want from one of those genin..."

It felt as if Jin's heart had stopped. He couldn't just let Koichi hurt the genin, but he also couldn't help but turn his face away from Koichi, his fear keeping him from fighting back. He was certain that Koichi was right, though. He _did_ deserve this, for whatever terrible crime he had committed, for just being born.

"Please...don't do this. Don't touch me." Jin couldn't help but whisper, though his voice wavered and he squeezed his eyes shut as Koichi grabbed him by his jaw and turned his head towards him. Jin put up very little resistance, except to keep his jaw clenched tightly shut when Koichi forced his lips upon his own.

Koichi pulled away and narrowed his eyes. "You don't get a choice." His free hand grasped Jin's arm, and he dragged him over to one of the beds and shoved him down. He pinned him and reached over to the nightstand drawer, grabbing something from within.

Jin's eyes widened slightly when a set of metal cuffs and a leather collar came into view. The sudden bolt of terror made him try to escape, despite the threat Koichi had made. He struggled violently, but was no match for Koichi in his panic-stricken state. "Let go of me! Please! Let go!" He was no longer whispering. "Let _go_ of me!"

Koichi did not let go, even when Jin managed to knee him right between the legs. He elbowed Jin hard right in the face, a loud crack resounding through the otherwise quiet room, and sat still for several moments to recover from the pain Jin had inflicted on him. It was not long enough for Jin to get away.

"You bastard…" Koichi snarled when he had recovered, and quickly grabbed Jin's wrists, clasping the cuffs around them much too tightly. "You're going to pay for that."

Jin's breath hitched in his throat, his eyes widening. "Stop it!" His voice rose, much louder than intended, and he dearly hoped that Koichi would just let him go, or that someone would walk in on what was happening.

His wish was quickly answered. It happened so fast that he didn't realize what had happened at first, except that now Ao and Midori had Koichi slammed up against the wall, and Kakashi was by his side. He wasn't even sure how they'd gotten in.

"Get him out of here!" Ao snapped at Kakashi, but soon returned his attention to Koichi. "As for you…" His expression went cold as ice.

Kakashi gave a short nod. "Jin, come on." He spoke gently, and very hesitantly reached out to him. He stopped when Jin flinched, but slowly hooked his arm under his back to help him sit up when Jin nodded his permission very slowly. He glanced at Koichi and narrowed his eye slightly. "Touch him again, and you'll regret it."

Jin leaned into Kakashi's touch and allowed him to help him up. He hardly noticed when Kakashi herded him out and back to the room they'd been in before. A shudder wracked through his body, and he tugged at the cuffs around his wrists. He didn't even seem to notice the blood dripping from his nose.

"Jin." Kakashi said softly, sitting him down on the bed gently. He pulled a chair up to sit in front of him and slowly he took Jin's hands in his own and worked at getting the cuffs undone. "Jin, why couldn't you get away? You're stronger than him."

"I deserve it. I deserve what he was going to do to me. It's...it's my punishment for existing. I deserve it." Jin whispered, not meeting his eyes.

Kakashi went very still for a moment, before very gently tipping Jin's face up so that he could look him in the eye. "That's not true at all."

Startled by the gentleness of his touch, Jin let him do so, though he still could not meet Kakashi's gaze. "H-he said that...that if I didn't let him do what he wanted to me, he would hurt one of the genin…I couldn't...couldn't let that happen to them…" His voice, wavering, barely more than a whisper.

Kakashi's hands stopped suddenly, the moment that he said that, and the moment the cuffs popped open. He stared at Jin for a moment, as if trying to think of what to say and how to respond. He could feel Jin's hands trembling violently in his own, could see the way frightened shudders wracked through his body; he saw the way that tears threatened to spill from Jin's beautiful eyes, and it wrenched at his heart.

Remembering the way he had calmed him down before, Kakashi let of Jin's hands and very gently put them on his cheeks. He leaned close, gently pressing his forehead against Jin's. He waited until Jin met his eye before speaking. "He won't ever lay a hand on them. I won't let him." He paused briefly, staring into Jin's dazzling eyes and noticing a single fleck of blue amidst the sea of violet in his left eye. "Jin...if he, or _anyone_ , tries something like that again, fight back as hard as you can. No matter what. You don't deserve this, or anything like it. I don't want to see you hurt. Promise me that you'll fight and protect yourself, even if you're threatened. I won't let anything happen to my students, and no one can hold their safety over you."

Jin slowly lifted his hand up and put it over Kakashi's, the trembling fading just slightly. He stared into his dark eye, noting that it wasn't quite black, but more of a deep, stormy grey with hues of dark greens and navy blues. It really wasn't noticeable, except this close.

While he was certainly not okay, would not be for a while, focusing on Kakashi was grounding him. "I...promise." He whispered.

"Good." Kakashi pulled away slightly, but kept his hands where they were. He examined Jin's nose, and frowned slightly. It was definitely broken.

"...thank you." Jin said suddenly. "Thank you for helping me out of that situation." His voice was slowly growing stronger. Very hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around him in a loose hug and rested his head on his shoulder.

Kakashi sat still and waited until Jin lifted his head again. Then he gently began wiping the blood from his face. Hakaru would definitely have to fix him up, but at the very least, he could wipe away as much of the blood as possible without causing him more pain. "You don't have to thank me. Just take care of yourself better."

"I will...I promise…" Jin whispered.

* * *

By the time the Daimyo's son showed up the next day, Jin had composed himself enough to greet him, though he stayed as far away from Koichi as he could and refused to even look in his direction. He had spent the majority of the time after his assault in Kakashi's company, as well as Hakaru's.

"Ah, Jin, it's a pleasure to work with you again." The Daimyo's son spoke softly and gave them all a gentle smile. "Though, I do hope you stay safe this time."

Jin bowed low, and everyone else followed suit. "I hope the same, Hiroshi-sama." He straightened up and offered him a strained smile. He turned to the others, actively ignoring Koichi. "This is Yuki Hiroshi-sama, the Daimyo's heir. I have often worked as his body double."

"...I see the resemblance…" Sakura mumbled. "Are you two related or something? You could be twins."

It was true. When Jin worked as Hiroshi's body double, he didn't even have to use a henge, except to change the color of his eyes. Their heights were almost identical, and so was their facial structure. Even their hair was the same glossy black. The one difference was Jin's violet eyes; Hiroshi had deep emerald green eyes.

"Nah, we're not related as far as I know. Genetics are just weird, y'know? But it works out pretty great. Hiroshi-sama has a convincing body double, and I get to meet lots of interesting people." Jin replied, tipping his head to the side. "And I get to wear really nice clothes. It's kind of a win-win situation."

"Not to mention the fact that I get to act like a civilian for a while. I must say that it's very relaxing. A nice change of pace." Hiroshi put in, patting Jin's shoulder. "Though, I always have wondered why we look so alike. Well, I mean, you're much prettier than I am. And your canine teeth are a bit longer, too, I suppose. I wouldn't be surprised if you could tear out someone's throat with teeth like those."

Sakura exchanged a glance with Hinata, and both girls looked a bit startled to see Jin exchanging pleasantries with the Water Daimyo's heir. Hinata wondered how many other important people he knew.

"Did you accept that position as one of the Seven Swordsmen? I was quite thrilled to hear that you'd been offered a position with them. You'd fit in quite well, I think." Hiroshi asked, his expression resembling that of a curious baby animal.

"No; I don't really like how the Swordsmen keeping ending up. Quite a few of them seem to defect. And they seem to die pretty young. I'm not ready to die yet. I've still got things I need to do." Jin replied, smiling faintly. "But I did hear that Kita Kaze accepted the position. He fits right in with them, except his loyalty to Mizukage-sama is unbreakable."

"Oh my...that concerns me a little, if I'm being honest. With the freedom the Swordsmen have as of now, he's less limited isn't he? My father has been conducting an investigation into his identity. I've heard that no one knows his true identity, except for the Mizukage, and she still refuses to divulge that information. I, for one, am very happy to leave him to his business." Hiroshi shivered, rubbing his arms as if he'd just suddenly gotten goosebumps.

"Mhm. I think it's better to leave him be. Might not like what's underneath that mask of his. I've heard that the entirety of his face is terribly scarred." Jin shifted his eyes away from Hiroshi, as if he were hiding something. While Hiroshi did not notice it, Kakashi, Koichi, and Ran certainly did.

"Enough of this chitchat. Let's get going already." Ran snapped, placing her hands on her hips and staring at Hiroshi as if he were a fine piece of prey she was going to tear into pieces.

"Rude as she is, your companion is correct. Jin-san, I've brought a few of my dressers to help you get ready." Hiroshi refused to be intimidated by Ran's predatory stare, focusing on Jin instead. "You all stay out here, except for…" He looked over the entire team before nodding to Hinata and Sakura. "You two will help with his makeup. My makeup artist was the one person who could not make the trip with me."

Hiroshi turned and went into the room he had booked for himself and his attendants. Jin followed without hesitation, followed closely by Hiroshi's dressers and the two genin.

Though he had been through the process before, Jin was not prepared for it. Hiroshi's dressers were more than a little over-the-top, and the process ended up taking several hours. The clothes he was borrowing from Hiroshi were definitely worth more than he would ever be able to afford, and though they were beautiful, Jin had to admit that he was glad he was not in Hiroshi's position. He liked wearing pretty kimono, but this was too much for him.

Jin's makeup took far longer than even his hair had, but Sakura and Hinata did a fantastic job with Hiroshi to guide them. Collaborating as they did, it went smoothly.

"Alright, I think you're ready now." Hiroshi said, checking him over. "You'll just need to fix your eyes before you get there, and it should be fine. My hairdresser will go with you, since we don't know how long it will take to find the source of the problem. Now, go show your companions, and you can be on your way."

Jin stood up, frowning a bit as he stretched in the heavy fabric of the kimono. At least he'd managed to fit his ANBU uniform on underneath, though it would be hell trying to get to any of his weapons. With a sigh, he slowly walked to the door and went out to see that the others had been waiting for him.

Kakashi was the first to look, and his eye visibly widened, as if he hadn't expected the sight he was greeted with. He couldn't help but study every detail. Dark kohl, imported from one of the countries the Land of Water had trade deals with, ringed Jin's eyes, making their violet color stand out more brilliantly. More than ever, his eyes drew Kakashi in, mesmerizing him. His gaze was next drawn to the way Jin's hair was neatly parted, no longer artfully scruffy, but instead styled in the way that aristocrats often wore their hair, a single, beautiful pin adorned with black pearls clipped in. The kimono he wore hung on his frame perfectly, and Kakashi couldn't but look him over a little bit. He wore the kimono differently than he wore his other ones; he wore it modestly. Jin looked as if he belonged in the role he was going to be playing. Kakashi couldn't deny that he was beautiful.

Jin, noticing Kakashi's scrutiny, looked away quickly. His cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink. He was surprised by the way Kakashi was looking at him, as if he were the prettiest thing he had ever seen.

Clearing his throat, Jin shifted his feet. "Ah, what do you guys think? I'm not sure this sort of thing suits me…" He was glad that he could wear gloves, too, otherwise his new scars would show, and Hiroshi had graciously agreed to let him wear his bracelets, though not the earrings or ear cuffs.

Koichi whistled from his spot next to Ran. "You look like a high-priced whore."

The words dug at Jin's heart for just a moment, and he wondered if that was all he would ever be recognized for. He looked down at the ground, unable to meet anyone's gaze. It startled him when Kakashi spoke next.

"You look beautiful." Kakashi scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his eye crinkling into a smile. Was that the faint pink tint of a blush just above the edge of his mask?

Jin's eyes widened slightly, and the pink blush he wore darkened to a deep scarlet. "I...uh...I...thank you." He mumbled, unable to look at Kakashi, though he did relax at his compliment.

Ran snorted. "Yes, we get it; you're pretty and my idiot brother and your leaf shinobi friend want to fuck you. Let's just get going. I've got my own business to attend to after we're done with this stupid mission, so I'd like to get going."

Kakashi shot Ran a dark look, frowning beneath his mask. "It's really only your brother that wants to violate him. I just gave him a compliment. And, I would like to point out, that unlike your brother, I would never force myself on Jin, or anyone for that matter." Though he spoke in a friendly tone of voice, his expression warned Koichi that he would not tolerate any more attempted assaults against Jin.

Jin glanced at Kakashi, his eyes widening slightly as the leaf shinobi spoke. He hadn't really expected to defend him so much.

Before anyone else could speak, Hakaru cleared his throat and grinned. "I think you look pretty, Jin-chan!" He said brightly.

Everyone turned their attention to him, acutely aware of his blindness. The genin exchanged bewildered glances, and even Kakashi looked startled by the statement.

"...Hakaru-chan, thank you for the compliment, but, uh…" Jin wasn't really sure how to proceed. "Ah, never mind…"

Hakaru snickered mischievously, looking surprisingly triumphant. By drawing the attention to himself, he had kept the previous conversation from going any worse.

Hiroshi laughed softly. "You should get going now. My father will be eagerly waiting to hear of your success. But please stay safe."

* * *

The ferry ride over to the next island was short, taking only about half a day. Once they had docked, Jin and his companions disembarked, greeted by the lord of the island's attendants. They had come to escort Jin to the lord's estate.

The journey to the estate didn't take long either, because the island was so small. It was beautiful; the garden being the first thing they came upon, they were greeted with thriving flowers that grew nowhere else in Water Country.

Jin had to admit that he liked being treated like royalty for the moment, though he was sure it would get old real quick. It was soon apparent, however, that the lord had no idea that Jin was not, in fact, the Daimyo's heir, and instead a shinobi posing as him. Perhaps he had not been the one to ask for help with the murders, after all, the request had been anonymous, only having been tracked back to his estate.

Strangely enough, in the presence of the resident lord, Ran and Koichi were on their best behaviour, a feat that was impossible in any other circumstance. That, in and of itself, was suspicious. Jin could not help but wonder what they were up to. Even Kakashi seemed to notice the change in their behaviour.

"I'm glad to see that you've made it here without incident Yuki-sama. The waters start getting dangerous this time of year." The lord bowed respectfully to Jin and then straightened up. He glanced at his companions. "You have leaf shinobi in your entourage."

"You seem surprised, Kato." Jin tilted his head and gave him a smile. "As a show of good faith, we are allowing the leaf shinobi to work alongside us. I have heard they are quite capable, and I imagine that their skills will be put to the test sooner or later. My father has heard that you have a problem here?"

Kato's eyes widened slightly in fright, and his gaze shifted to both sides before falling towards the ground. "Yes, but it is being taken care of. You will not face any trouble. Please enjoy your stay. The original date of the gala has been changed, however. Forgive me for not being able to send word sooner. It's been changed to tonight. I hope that's not too inconvenient for you, Yuki-sama."

"Of course not. I'm just glad that the problem is being taken care of. My father will be very happy to hear it, too. Now, if you don't mind, would you take us to our rooms? The trip has been rather exhausting, and I would very much like to clean up before the gala." Jin spoke elegantly.

"Y-yes, of course! Right this way!" Kato spun around, looking as if he were intimidated by Jin. He was certainly desperate to please.

Jin followed him without a word, followed closely by the leaf shinobi, the two hunter nin, and Ran and Koichi. The hairdresser followed at the end of the group, looking as if his heart were going to leap out of his chest being surrounded by so many powerful shinobi.

If he were being honest with himself, Jin was rather irritated that the gala had been moved up. It meant that even though he had already gotten all dressed up, he was going to have to go through the whole process again. He supposed he could tolerate it for a bit since he was going to be able to drop his henge in the privacy of the room he would be staying in.

Though he had vast chakra reserves and he was only changing the color of his eyes and hiding the new scars on his arms with his henge, he had to put an intense amount of focus into making sure no one could sense the chakra he was using for his henge. It would obviously be bad if they were caught because he'd slipped up.

The moment he was left alone in his room, with Kakashi and Midori standing guard outside, Jin relaxed and released his henge. He sat down on the bed and leaned his head back so that he could stare up at the ceiling.

He was feeling better after the incident yesterday, though he was certainly not looking forward to working with Koichi through the duration of this mission. It was the majority of the reason why he'd partnered him up with his sister.

The other reason was that, though he had fixated on Jin, Koichi had a thing for younger girls. He'd only ever been caught with prostitutes and courtesans, but it was an unspoken realization that Koichi liked them younger. Had Jin not ended up being so afraid of him, and the risk of being killed for murdering a fellow shinobi not been so high, he would have killed Koichi already. Deep in his heart, Jin knew that Koichi would get what he deserved in the end. Evil people always got what they deserved. Even if Jin could not be the one to make sure that Koichi suffered for his actions, he knew that there was someone who _could_ make him suffer. Kita Kaze.

Jin had wanted to make sure that Sakura and Hinata would be safe from any advances that Koichi might make. It was why he had stopped fighting yesterday until Koichi had brought the collar out. He did not want Hinata or Sakura to suffer the same way he had. He remembered Kakashi's words from yesterday, and let out a small sigh.

It wasn't long before there was a knock at the door. Jin automatically put his henge back in place before getting up and opening the door. It was his hairdresser, Kakashi, and Sakura and Hinata. Though it hadn't felt like a long time, apparently it was time for him to start getting ready for the gala.

Jin stepped aside to let them in and closed the door behind them. "This going to take longer than before, isn't it?"

Kakashi smiled apologetically beneath his mask. "Sorry. It's gotta be done, though. I'll help you change, though. The kimono you have to wear tonight is...a bit a heavier than the one you're wearing now."

"That might not be the most uncomfortable part…" Sakura commented, looking away with a sigh. "The hair accessories you have to wear are...just...too much…" Hinata nodded rapidly in agreement beside her.

"Oh, quit complaining and get changed so that I can get to work." The hairdresser snapped. "We're on a tight schedule."

For the next few hours, Jin was put through an experience that he was going to make sure he never experienced again. The kimono he wore now had so many layers that he was certain he not be able to retrieve a weapon, let alone defend himself were he to come across their target. His head was sore, too, after having his hair pulled aggressively by the hairdresser he had come to dislike. Thankfully, having his makeup done had been easy compared to everything else. The girls had just touched up the kohl around his eyes and added a shiny layer of gloss to his lips. He didn't understand why he needed the lipgloss; it wasn't as if he were going to be kissing anyone. He had to admit that he no longer enjoyed playing as the Daimyo's heir. Going through the same process twice in one day was not the kind of life for him, especially considering how tedious it was.

"Hyuuga-hime, you remember your role tonight, right?" Jin asked kindly, offering her a small smile.

"Y-yes…" Hinata replied, avoiding eye contact. In the interest of keeping with their plan of staying in pairs, Hinata was posing as Hiroshi's younger cousin. He would stay with her, and it would only look like he were introducing her to famous individuals, instead of two shinobi hunting a killer. She was dressed in a fine kimono like he was.

The rest of their team would either pretend to be party guests or stay to the edge of the enormous room the gala would be held in, playing the role of his bodyguards. The entire time, they would be gathering information.

There was no way they could have known just how badly their night was going to go.

* * *

Jin entered the gala, Hinata just behind him, and looked around. Already, the giant room was crowded. Thankfully, even if he lost sight of Kakashi and the others, the hairdresser had helped him hide an earpiece so that he could still communicate with them, should the need arise.

For the moment, everything seemed to be going well, aside from the lights flickering occasionally. When he was offered small cups of sake, he pretended to sip from them, and instead dumped the liquor into the plants he came across from time to time. He felt guilty for poisoning the plants, but there was no way in hell that he was going to dull his senses, or risk letting himself be poisoned.

Jin spoke with the other guests pleasantly, keeping up his masquerade. When he was posing as Hiroshi, he didn't have to worry about getting any weird looks or glares, so it was easier to talk to people. In fact, everyone he spoke with went out of their way to please him. It was strange, especially since he was always the one who went out of his way to please people usually, instead of the other way around.

"Jin," Kakashi's voice crackled through his earpiece, "have you noticed how the lights keep flickering?"

Raising his hand to pretend as if he were coughing, Jin covered his mouth. "Yes. Something seems off about it. I don't feel good about this. Be careful." He coughed a few times and pulled his hand away.

"The time between the lights flickering and returning to normal, and then back to flickering again is exactly the same. Two minutes and forty-seven seconds." Ran spoke through the earpiece. "This is being done on purpose, and not just a short in the wiring. Koichi and I will check it out."

Jin didn't reply, but watched as Ran and Koichi slipped out through one of the doors and into the hallway on the west side of the estate. "Kakashi, take Hakaru-chan through the east doors. Do a sweep of the east wing, and Ran and Koichi will sweep through the west wing." He faked a few more coughs.

He glimpsed Kakashi and Hakaru slipping towards the eastern doors. "Will you be okay here?" Kakashi asked quietly.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Ao and Midori are here with Uchiha-sama and Haruno-hime. And I've got Hyuuga-hime with me. Just don't get separated from Hakaru-chan. Be careful." Jin faked another cough.

"Are you alright, Yuki-sama? You're coughing an awful lot." Kato, the lord of the estate, asked with concern. Jin didn't hear Kakashi's reply because of it.

"Ah, yes, of course. Just a tickle in my throat. Please don't worry." Jin smiled kindly at Kato. "I must say, this has been a wonderful event so far. I'm glad to have been able to attend. Thank you for the invitation. My father will be happy to hear how well it's going."

The lights flickered again, more noticeably than before. Jin couldn't help but glance up as they continued to flicker. He glanced back at Kato, about to ask him about the lights, when they suddenly went out completely, sending them all into complete darkness. Several shrieks went up around the room, and he felt Hinata grab tightly onto his kimono sleeve.

"The hell happened?!" Ran's voice snarled through his earpiece. "Is the power out everywhere?!"

"Yes, where are you?" Jin asked quickly, not bothering to fake a cough this time. "Get back here as soon as you can. Kakashi, come back here with Hakaru-chan."

"No, Jin. You need to get over here. I've found something that you need to see." Ran's voice was quieter now, the anger in her voice taking a backseat to the shock and alarm that came through now."

"Fine. We'll be there soon. Might take a few minutes, though. Hyuuga-sama and I are closest to the east doors. Keep an eye out for trouble. Ao, Midori, hold your positions. Don't get caught up in the crowd." Jin grabbed Hinata's wrist to make sure that she didn't get lost in the crowd and pulled her along to where he thought the west doors were.

It was not easy. The other guests were frightened and scattering in random directions to find the way out. Kato was shouting and trying to calm them down, but nothing seemed to be working.

However, Jin and Hinata managed to reach the west doors without being trampled or separated, and they pushed through the doors quickly. "Where are you at, Ran?"

"The hall that leads down to the basement. Get here quick, because we've got a big problem." Came Ran's reply.

Jin sped up as much as he could in the heavy kimono he wore. It was inconvenient, but he didn't have the time to fuss about it. Whatever it was that Ran and Koichi had found was serious.

With the halls being less crowded, it took Jin and Hinata less time to reach the spot Ran had specified. What he saw when he got there horrified him.

Lying on the ground in a patch of moonlight that shone through a tall window, was a long kunai in a small pool of crimson blood. Ran and Koichi stood next to it, grim expressions on their faces.

"Ran, find something to wrap that in so that we can look at it later." Jin ordered, frowning. It didn't look like there was a body anywhere; they certainly hadn't passed one on their way there. It was as if the kunai had been dropped there after the crime. "Kakashi, we've got a problem. Did you see anything suspicious in the east wing? We've found something."

Silence.

Jin frowned. "Kakashi? Has something happened? Where are you?" His heart twisted painfully as there was only more silence through his earpiece. He glanced at Ran and Koichi. "Come on, we need to look for them."

Quickly as he could, Jin made a roundabout way to the east wing, making sure to avoid the room where the guests were panicking inside. It took just a little longer than he expected because they were stumbling their way through the dark.

Jin stumbled on Kakashi and Hakaru, quite literally. Turning a corner, he nearly tripped over them.

A shaft of moonlight shone through the window, illuminating the terrible scene that lay before them. Both Hakaru and Kakashi were sprawled across the ground in a pool of blood, as if they had been caught off guard.

At first, Jin thought they were dead, but after a moment of numb staring, he noticed the faint, fluttery rising of their chests as they fought for breath.

"Ran, call for Ao and Midori. Have them meet us here." Jin spoke very slowly, crouching down to see how badly Kakashi and Hakaru had been hurt. His heart rose in his throat, and the blood pounded in his ears. He was scared.

Very slowly, Jin undid the top layer of his kimono and took it off. He managed to retrieve a kunai from beneath the rest of the layers, and very carefully cut the heavy fabric into strips long enough to wrap around the wounds he'd found. He would be able to check more closely just how bad their wounds really were later.

It looked as if Kakashi had been hit first, and had been put out of commission first. Hakaru was more badly wounded, as if he had tried to fight back in Kakashi's defense and his own. He'd fought hard, but his inexperience and lack of training had led to his defeat.

Once Jin had wrapped their wounds as best as he could, he lifted Kakashi into his arms with little trouble. "Ao, please carry Hakaru-chan." He spoke quietly, his voice frigid. Ao, who had just shown up, did as he was told, and exchanged a glance with Midori.

Rage suddenly began burning through him, brought on by the thought of Hakaru and Kakashi possibly dying. A memory flashed through his mind, fleeting, but still enough to terrify him. He wouldn't let it happen again.

Jin was not going to let the one who had done this live.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I am so sorry for the late update! I've had way more homework this year, than I did last year from my classes, so it's been harder to find time to write. (This was also a very hard chapter for me to write). This chapter ended up being much longer than I had anticipated, too, and I decided to cut it off earlier than originally intended to keep it from getting too long. Would you believe that this chapter is almost 12k words?! I was shocked when I realized how long it was. Anyway, thank you so much for your patience and I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that it answers some of the questions you may have! Also, I hope you like Ao and Midori, because they will likely be showing up a little more often!**

 **Sarahgri99: I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Thanks for reading!**

 **Trisana: I hope this chapter cleared up some of the questions you have! And oh man, yeah, Rikichi is definitely a piece of work! Even Aki is disgusted by what Rikichi does, and he's not exactly a good person either! And yes! Haku and Jin are distantly related, and if Jin had known that, he probably would have taken him in like a stray cat. (Jin does like to take in 'strays' so to speak...) And what the show means, was partially explained this chapter, and the rest of it will be explained soon!)**

 **Thank you all again for reading, and I'm so sorry for the late update!**


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

" _Hey, Emi, you better hurry up and get ready or you'll be late!" Mamoru poked his head through Emi's bedroom window just in time to catch sight of her bare shoulders. She had been getting dressed in a fine kimono when he'd interrupted._

 _Emi had always been one to strike and ask questions later, so she did not hesitate to spin around and take a swing at her dear friend. "The hell do you think you're doing, Mamoru?! Interrupting a lady when she's in the middle of changing! How incorrigible!"_

 _Mamoru leapt back, laughing. "Sorry, Emi, but you're no lady! You'll always be a feisty lioness to me!" He grinned at her through the window as she pulled the kimono around her shoulders to cover herself._

" _And you'll always be a baby-faced brat to me!" Emi stalked over to the window and crossed her arms. For a moment, she frowned. Then her expression softened, and she smiled gently at him, a smile she reserved only for him. The scar along her jawline marred her pretty face, but didn't damper the radiance of her smile._

" _Oh, how you wound me!" Mamoru gasped and clutched at his chest with one hand. "It's as if you're trying to kill me with your harsh words." He swayed and collapsed to the ground in a dramatic pile. "You've killed me!"_

" _Oh, quit it you." Emi couldn't keep the laugh out of her voice. "Get off the ground, you dork. You'll mess up your hair. Not that it matters much."_

" _Ah, but I can't! I'm dead and you've killed me! But perhaps a kiss could bring me back to life!" Mamoru waggled his eyebrows at her mischievously._

" _How about a kick in the ass instead?" Climbing through the window, Emi used one hand to keep her kimono shut. She fully intended to kick his ass._

 _Mamoru scrambled to his feet quickly and smiled sheepishly. "Ah, never mind! The great Mamoru has been revived with Emi-hime's fiery temper!...and a healthy fear of her strength…"_

 _Emi smiled at him a little, and turned to go back into her room through the window. "Since you're here, you may as well help me finish getting dressed. I'm no good at tying an obi. I much prefer clothes I can get dirty." Romping through the woods was one of her favorite things._

 _Four years under the Uchiha's care had brought her a sense of peace and belonging she hadn't felt since the day she had left with Sayuri and Hisashi. Now that she was eighteen, the Uchiha matriarch was going to make her final decision about Emi, and whether or not to give her and her nephews a permanent place among their clan. Emi would of course keep her clan name. She had told the matriarch the day they had met that she and her nephews would never give up their clan name. It was the name Ikki had given them, and it was the name that best suited her. Being the oldest surviving member of the Shiraishi clan, she was the one who defined what they stood for._

 _Mamoru grinned and lifted Emi up and through the window. He hopped in after her and set to work getting her dressed in the kimono the matriarch had picked out for her. "You really are hopeless, you know that?"_

" _Oh, shut it. You know I never really had a chance to learn. Even before I left home, I had always had someone to help me get dressed." Emi puffed her cheeks out and lifted her arms while Mamoru tied her obi._

" _Mm, that's true. Are you ever going to tell me more about yourself?" Mamoru asked softly._

" _We've been close for four years. You've learned just about everything there is to know about me." Emi lowered her arms once he had finished and sighed. "What more could you want to know?"_

" _Everything. I want to know everything about you, your past, and how you became who you are now. I…" He stopped himself before he finished that thought, his cheeks tinting pink. "Never mind. You're going to be late at this rate. There's not enough time to get a stylist in here to do your hair…"_

 _Emi blinked, glancing back at him. She wondered what he had meant to say, though she didn't question it. Usually he was open about everything, so if there was something he didn't want to say, she didn't pry. "How angry at me will Uchiha-sama be, if I just go like this?"_

" _Very. You could probably get away without wearing any makeup, but your hair's a mess. She won't like that." Mamoru circled her, considering the options they had._

 _A thought suddenly came to him, and he grinned at her. He went over to the vanity in her room, and grabbed two tiny hair pins. He returned to her side and swept the majority of her hair back. He clipped the sides into place, and then twisted it up._

 _Holding her hair like that with one hand, he retrieved two senbon from the inside of his haori. Staring at her hair for a moment, he slid both senbon into the updo strategically. He pulled his hands away and examined his work._

" _I'm a genius. I can't believe it actually worked!" Mamoru crowed delightedly._

 _Emi rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, whatever. Let's go before I'm late." She turned and opened the screen door, leaving her room._

 _Mamoru followed her out, much to Emi's caretaker's horror. Her words, however, were ignored by the both of them as they left together._

 _They were quite the pair. Mamoru's lanky limbs and goofy grin painted him as an idiot amongst the rest of the Uchiha. He held himself in a way that made him seem harmless and weak, but in reality, he was as deadly as any other Uchiha, and one of the highest ranking shinobi in the clan, despite only being nineteen._

 _Emi, however, walked silently as death and held herself as if she were prepared kill at any moment. Her short stature often threw people off, and when she had been allowed to spar with the rest of the Uchiha after they had brought her in, she had used that to her advantage. Her strength and power had flourished in a way that the Uchiha's could not. Unlike the rest of her siblings, she had been blessed with an unusually large chakra reserve, that some said was equal to the Ichibi's reserve, which gave her the opportunity to use many chakra-draining techniques more than once, even without her near-perfect chakra control._

 _She had gained a sort of peace living with the Uchiha clan, something that had allowed her to hone her chakra control in a way that she had not been able to when she had been on the run with her brother and nephews._

 _Emi led the way, head held high, to the Uchiha matriarch's home, and pushed her way past the guards that kept watch constantly. They knew well enough by now not to even try stopping her. When they tried to prevent Mamoru from following her inside, she sent them a look so nasty that they took a step away from her._

" _Man, how do you do that? I wish I could do it…" Mamoru pouted and crossed his arms._

" _It's not something that you can do, trust me." Emi said, glancing up at him. "It's my teeth, and the way I narrow my eyes."_

" _Hm? Whatcha mean, Emi-chan?" Mamoru tipped his head curiously._

 _Emi thought about it for a moment, frowning a bit. "Mm...perhaps it would be better if I just showed you what I meant?" She had never given Mamoru a nasty look, except for the day they had first met, and that had been nothing compared to what she could do now._

" _Yes! I want to see it!" Mamoru bounced on his toes, unable to hide his grin._

 _With a snort, Emi shook her head slightly. "Fine, fine. Just don't get mad at me when you wet your pants, okay?"_

 _Before Mamoru could retort, Emi closed her eyes and focused. She found that it helped to pretend as if her nephews were in danger when she wanted to scare someone off. Anger at the idea of the last remaining shreds of her family being harmed simmered just below the surface, and she jerked her head towards Mamoru._

 _Violet eyes narrowed dangerously, and her nose scrunched up. She bared her longer than average fangs at him, as if she were prepared to tear his throat out right then and there._

 _Mamoru unconsciously took a step back, his eyes widening slightly, though not in fear. Admiration. The moment Emi let the look slip from her face, he spoke, "That's amazing! You look just like an angry dragon! Lemme try! Lemme try!"_

 _Emi couldn't help but laugh as Mamoru tried to mimic her glare and failed miserably. "I told you that it's not something you can do. You don't have the teeth for it." While he was not capable of the raw anger she captured in her expression, she had noticed throughout the years all of his various expressions, including the intently focused expression he wore in his training._

" _Aww, rats. I guess that's your signature look, then. You really do look like a dragon when you do that, though. I s'pose it's your teeth. It's really odd that you have such long teeth, though. Did all your family have teeth like that? I wonder why they're so long…" Mamoru trailed off, waiting for an answer._

" _Mhm, we all had teeth like this. I think my oldest brother had the longest ones, though. I think mine about the same as his were before he died now." Emi answered thoughtfully._

" _You mean Hisashi? He had really long teeth, too?" Mamoru questioned._

" _No, I mean my oldest brother. He was killed before we left home." Emi hadn't told Mamoru much about her family. She had discovered that secrecy was the best way to stay safe from the children that Azusa had left behind when Hisashi had killed her. Recently, however, she had been considering telling Mamoru the truth about her family, and what her heart had been telling her for a short while now._

 _But first, she had some business to finish._

* * *

" _Excuse_ me, but I am _not_ the one responsible for this. I may have been pretending to be the Daimyo's heir, but it was only because I'm here to solve your fucking problem. So, if you would kindly tell your guards to back off, that would be great." Jin was not in a good mood.

He had returned to the gala to speak with Kato, and the moment he had entered, the lights had flickered back to life. Though he had not noticed it until Kato had called him out on it, he had released his henge, and revealed that he was not, in fact, Yuki Hiroshi. The moment his disguise had been ruined, Kato had sicced his guards on them.

"You were seen near the eastern door, and the east wing is where you conveniently found your friend! You're an imposter!" Kato snarled, glaring up at him. The guards began to close in around them slowly.

Jin cursed, baring his teeth at Kato. "We need to get out of here. Haruno-hime, Uchiha-sama, stay close to us." He whispered, pausing for a moment to think of a strategy. "Ran, you and I will stay to the front, Koichi-sama to the back, Haruno-hime on the left flank and Uchiha-sama on the right. Ao and Midori will stay to the center. Hyuuga-hime, stay with Ao and Midori." He carefully handed Kakashi over to Midori.

Immediately, the others got into position, kunai and various other weapons at the ready. Jin took the time to slowly retrieve his metal-banded gloves from a pocket sewn into the top layer of the kimono that had been just below the decorative layer and slowly pulled them on. All the while, he stared Kato in the eye, as if saying 'I didn't want to do this.'

It was easy, really. Kato's guards were no match against the shinobi, and easily fell with whacks to the head that were not hard enough to cause permanent damage. It was easy to get through the crowd, and they were not immediately pursued.

Jin and Ran led the way through the crowd swiftly, hardly registering that the guests were backing away and clearing a path for them.

By the time they reached the front estate doors, Kato had composed himself enough to send more of his guards after them. As before, they were no match for the shinobi, and were quickly left behind as they sprinted past the doors.

"Ran, you've been stationed here before. Is there any spot that's safe for us to hide until we can sort this out?" Jin asked, not once glancing at her. Though he was hesitant to trust Ran and her judgement, she had been the one stationed on the island most recently and thus had more information than even he did, despite the fact that he had managed to memorize almost every inch of Water Country.

"Follow me. I've got a spot they can't trace us to." Ran replied, quickly overtaking Jin to guide the way. She moved without hesitation, dark brown hair streaming out behind her, kunai clasped tightly in her right hand.

The group didn't stop for over an hour. Though the island was small compared to some of the others that comprised Water Country, it still took time to navigate and traverse. Only a short time since their escape, a gentle rain had begun to fall.

Ran soon slowed to a steady walk when she seemed to recognize where they had ended up, and the others followed suit. It was only a few moments until they came up to a dilapidated cabin, hardly more than a shack, but something to hide them and shelter them from the rain.

The kunoichi went right up to the door of the shack and unlocked it with a key she had retrieved from her pouch. She went inside, quickly followed by the others.

The inside of the shack was just as bad as the outside, and they were greeted with a musty smell, and the sight of several leaks. It was better than nothing.

There were three rooms total and only two beds. It went without saying that Kakashi and Hakaru got the beds, considering how badly injured they were. Ao and Midori laid them down as gently as they could once the beds had been stripped of molding sheets and blankets.

"Haruno-hime, Hyuuga-hime, Uchiha-sama, find a way to stop the leaks and do what you can to patch up the drafts. We can't let these two get sick on top of what they're already stuck with." Jin spoke quietly, slicing his thumb on a spare kunai.

Once the genin had vanished to complete their tasks, Jin summoned Yukito and another, slightly larger spider. He told them what the situation was and allowed them to get to work isolating and identifying the poison that was undoubtedly spreading through both Hakaru's and Kakashi's bodies.

"You're an idiot, Shiraishi." Ran snapped at him, her face contorting into an ugly snarl. "We should have killed them and put them out of their misery. They're a liability now, and they'll only slow us down. If we get found out here, it'll be easy for our target to make them talk." She tightened her grip on the kunai she had not yet put away.

"No." Jin set to work properly treating their wounds, his voice strangely calm. "Lay a hand on them and I'll gut you and spread your entrails out for the birds."

Though he seemed calm and collected on the outside, Jin was seething with rage on the inside. Despite that, his hands were steady as he unwrapped Hakaru's wounds first and began to clean them as best as he could, and soon after that, suturing the worst of his wounds.

"Stupid piece of shit. You _do_ remember that the moment a shinobi becomes a liability to the rest of his team and the village, he's killed, right? That's the way things work in the village." Ran snapped.

"Wrong. The moment Terumi Mei-sama took the position of Mizukage, she banned that practice except in extreme cases. You're remembering the rules of the old Mist, and we're no longer following that." Jin's voice remained calm, and his hands remained steady. "Ao, Midori, please take care of Kakashi's wounds as best as you can for now. I'll take over when I've finished up with Hakaru-chan."

Ran rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever. If you're so set on saving them, then let me help. I have more extensive medical training than you do." She tied her hair back and retrieved a pair of latex gloves from a pouch on her belt. She pulled them on and went over to Ao and Midori, shoving them roughly out of her way.

She crouched down next to the bed and began to examine Kakashi's wounds, ignoring Yukito as he scrambled away from her on his trembling eight legs. The little spider didn't like her one bit.

The moment Ran reached out towards Kakashi, there was a flash of silver and a kunai at her throat. A thin bead of blood dripped down her throat from where the kunai was held.

"Don't you dare touch him." Jin snarled, his rage boiling over in his desire to protect his wounded friend. He was not prepared to lose anyone he cared about again. He would not let Ran lay a single finger on either Kakashi or Hakaru.

Ran drew her hand back slowly, careful not to make too many sudden movements in case Jin decided he wanted to kill her after all. "Have you lost your mind?" She asked slowly, her eyes flicking towards her brother, who stood still as a statue. "You're acting crazy."

Jin slowly moved the kunai from her throat. "Get out. Now. Koichi, you need to leave, too." When they took too long to leave, he snarled. "Get out _NOW!"_

The twins fled the room faster than a pair of cheetahs running down their prey.

Taking a deep breath, Jin took a moment to calm down before putting the kunai away and returning to Hakaru's side. Behind him, Ao and Midori went back to work silently.

They worked in silence for several minutes until Jin heard a hushed conversation in the other room. He tipped his head to listen, but kept working. Ao and Midori did the same.

"Yes, that's right. I saw him leave through the east doors before the lights went out. The only reason we didn't suspect him is because he's been in Fire Country for so long. It would explain why he's acting so erratically, too." That was Ran.

"So, you really think Shiraishi is behind this whole thing? Guess that would explain how he made it as a hunter a nin. He'd have to be talented to orchestrate something like this. What do you think he's trying to do with this ridiculous act?" That was Koichi.

"Knock it off! Jin-san would never do something like what you're saying! He's far too kind!" Sakura snapped louder than the other two.

"Oh, really? And you know him so well, I'm sure. You've only known him for a few months, and we've known him for the majority of his life. Don't talk about things you don't understand, little girl." Ran snapped back, and a moment later there was a loud smacking sound or flesh hitting flesh, as if someone had been hit.

"Ao, Midori, go babysit them. I'll take over for you." Jin said softly, finishing up with Hakaru. He turned and went to Kakashi's side, watching the two hunter nin leave before setting to work again.

Jin was relieved to see that Kakashi was in much better condition than Hakaru, though he couldn't help but blame himself for having been put in the situation in the first place. He had thought that they would be safe if they stayed in pairs, but it seemed that he had been wrong. Despite Hakaru's stellar medical abilities, Jin knew that he shouldn't have let him come along.

"Jin, Jin!" Yukito skittered over to him, fangs secreting some vile liquid. "I have news!"

"What is it, Yukito-sama?" Jin asked, pausing in his work to look at the tiny spider. "Can you create some sort of antidote for it?"

"I...I'm not capable of that, Jin. The poison running through their systems is much too vicious for me to handle. You'll have to summon Sadako-sama for that." Yukito began, rubbing his two front legs together anxiously. "But I did find out who made it. She has a very distinctive way of leaving her mark. This is a new one of hers, and it's much nastier than the one that dissolves your bones."

Jin let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. "I see. Thank you, Yukito-sama." He didn't even need to ask who had made the poison. There was only one person who had made a poison capable of dissolving one's bones, as far as he knew, and that was Ran.

Without another word, he went back to work stitching together the worst of Kakashi's wounds. It wasn't long until he finished his work.

Jin stood up and took off the extra underlayers of the kimono until he was just left in his ANBU uniform. He attached his metal chestplate and wiped his bloodied hands on his pants, making sure the metal along his gloves were clean. Then he summoned the spider queen.

She was massive, larger than Jin by far. It was a miracle that she had even managed to fit in the room. "Sadako-sama, it's a pleasure to see you again. I need you to do what you can to remove the poison from their systems." He nodded towards Hakaru and Kakashi.

"...the price is the same as last time, my precious Jin." The spider's voice was low and reverberated around the room. Each of her millions of eyes focused purely on him as she raised a single fuzzy leg to stroke Jin's cheek.

"Of course." Jin replied, grabbing the kunai he'd put away earlier. He wiped Ran's blood from the blade and took one of his gloves off. With only a grimace of pain, he slashed the blade across the palm of hand, allowing it to cut deeply into his flesh.

Blood dripped from his hand, and Sadako leaned forward, catching it on her fangs. "Just as tasty as always, my darling. Though I do recommend you visit your dragon. The taste has become rather diluted through the generations."

"Are you done? I have some business to take care of. I trust you won't eat my friends while I'm gone." Jin pulled his hand away and carefully wrapped the wound tightly with a spare bandage. Then he pulled his glove back on and stared up at Sadako.

"Ah, yes, I am. Go now, and by the time you return your friends will all be in one piece, and your patients will have been cured of their poison. You can trust in me." Sadako stroked Jin's cheek with her leg again before turning to Hakaru and Kakashi. "Not to mention the fact that if I did eat your friends, I wouldn't be able to taste you anymore."

Jin scowled, but left the room anyway. He didn't have time to worry about her words.

When he got out to where the others had gathered, he noticed that Ran had pulled on a pair of gloves that were very similar in design to his own, other than the fact that they were much more poorly crafted, and had long, razor-sharp claws extending from each fingertip.

"Glad that you've joined us. Now we can get going." Ran said, grinning at him. "We were just about to go hunting for the killer, now that your young friends have convinced us that it is not, in fact, you."

Jin smiled back coldly at her. "I see. Let's get going, then. Ao, Midori, stay here with the genin. I'll be back soon."

Without waiting for an answer, he went outside to wait for Ran and Koichi, who would undoubtedly tag along. He'd already made his decision, and if Koichi was involved in what Ran was doing, then he would die, too.

* * *

" _Are you sure it's working this time?" Rikichi asked, his eyes narrowed and arms crossed._

" _Of course it is. If it weren't, then the kid wouldn't be in so much pain." Aki replied._

 _Before them a child lay writhing in pain, in the center of a circle of seals that reminded one of the Edo Tensei technique. A single bone lay next to the child, rattling of its own accord._

" _Even with the modifications we've made, it will still be impossible, Aki. You can't bring back a soul that doesn't reside in the Pure Land." Rikichi snapped, though he took a step back._

" _Ah, but I have found the solution to that." Aki cut his hand and held it over the child and the bone, allowing his blood to drip onto both._

" _Whatever. I'm just impressed that you managed to find her bones. It was said that she and Hisashi both were lost to the earth in their final battle. But you found his bones, too." Rikichi tipped his head to the side slightly._

" _Yes, what a spot of luck that was. With her, we won't need that failure of an army we've been creating, except as a diversion." Aki moved his hand away when a burst of flame swallowed up the child and bone out of nowhere. "Ahah, it seems that I've found what I was missing. My blood appears to have been the key."_

 _Rikichi turned his head away until the flame died down, and when he turned his head back, he was surprised to find the child and the bone both gone._

 _In their place stood stood a woman in her early twenties, red hair the exact shade of Aki's hiding her face. When she lifted her head, amber eyes stared at them, missing the black sclera that was always present in those brought back with Edo Tensei. Instead, she looked perfectly alive._

" _Are you sure she'll be under your control?" Rikichi asked as the woman's attention focused on him, her face twisting into a mask of rage._

" _Yu...ki…" She rasped, reaching out for Rikichi slowly. It was as if she was not yet used to having a body once more, as if she had forgotten what it was like to be alive._

 _Aki snorted, watching the woman reach for his partner. "Katagiri Azusa, tell me the location of your wakizashi. It was not with your bones."_

 _Azusa swung her head in Aki's direction, narrowing her eyes. "You do not give me orders." Her amber eyes glared eerily at him, and she took a moment to bend each of her fingers to test their strength. A moment later she turned her head back to Rikichi. "There is a Yuki here. Why is he not dead? I gave up my life so that my children could eradicate the Yuki clan." Her eyes burned, taking on a crazed light._

" _Calm yourself, Azusa. He's here because he wants your help to do just that. My friend here wants to destroy his clan. We'll get to the details later, but I have an offer that you could not possibly refuse." Aki spoke calmly, reaching out to soothe her._

 _Azusa put a hand to her chest slowly, a realization dawning on her. "I am...alive." Her eyes widened when she seemed to realize something else. "That means...you can bring Yoshihisa-nii back to me…"_

 _It was then that Aki knew he had won. She would do whatever they asked for if they promised to give her brother back to her. "Of course."_

 _Rikichi took a step back, studying Azusa. If she really was truly alive again, would that mean that her skills would be just as incredible as they had been before her death? Those brought back with Edo Tensei usually had weakened abilities, only because they were literally corpses. This seemed to be far different._

 _For the first time in his life, Rikichi wondered if he was making a mistake._

* * *

Jin should have expected it, and been able to prevent it from happening. Yet, here he was, hands cuffed behind his back. Blood dripped from the side of his head, from where he'd been hit.

Once they had gotten far enough away from the shack they had taken shelter in, Ran had struck him hard enough to make him lose consciousness.

From what he could tell, several hours had passed since he'd lost consciousness, and though Koichi and Ran were not in sight, Jin knew they were nearby. He could feel them watching him.

Jin had no idea where he was, or how far away he was from the shack. It was in times like these, that he wished Raizo could help him. But Raizo was dead.

It was up to Jin to save himself. There was no one to save him this time. Raizo was dead. Kakashi wounded badly. Ao and Midori guarding Kakashi and Hakaru, as well as the genin. Zabuza and Haku were both dead, as well as any other friends he had once had, other than the ones he had made in Konoha. He couldn't even summon Banri or any of his other summons with his hands bound so tightly behind his back.

Jin was utterly and completely on his own.

Closing his eyes, Jin waited quietly for Ran and Koichi to come back. He leaned his head back against the tree he had been set against, only to stop suddenly.

He hadn't yet noticed it in his dazed confusion, but when he leaned his head back, he felt something constricting his throat tightly. It was a thick leather collar, latched one notch too tightly. That was, undoubtedly, Koichi's work.

"Finally awake, hm?" Ran stepped out from behind a tree, picking something from between her teeth with her metal claws. "Thought I'd killed you with that blow. I'm glad that it didn't, though, because now we can have some fun before we _do_ kill you."

Jin glared up at her as she sauntered closer. "Go fuck yourself. You're the one who's been killing all these people, and I'm not going to let you get away with it anymore."

"And what do you think you're going to do about it?" Koichi asked from his left side, yanking hard on a long leash.

Jin's head jerked back, and a terrible pressure grew at his throat. He choked, eyes widening when he realized that the leash was attached to the collar for this very purpose.

Koichi loosened his grip on the leash, allowing some slack for Jin to breathe.

Jin coughed and hacked violently, struggling to catch his breath. He whipped his head around to glare at Koichi, undisguised hatred burning in his gaze.

"Hey, dipshit, keep your eyes on me." Ran snapped, smiling when Jin returned his attention to her.

"You really think you can kill me?" Jin asked quietly, staring her down.

"Yes, actually, I do." Ran replied. "But first I'm going to let my idiot brother have his way with you. I think I'll give him a couple hours. And while he's doing that, I'm going to go back to the others. And when I get there, I'll have my own sort of fun with them...there are so many different poisons that I need tested now. Those cute little genin will do perfectly. And while they're dying slowly and painfully, I'll cut Ao and Midori into little pieces while they watch."

Jin went rigid, his eyes widening. His blood ran cold, and panic overwhelmed him. Images of Kaoru's and Raizo's deaths flashed in his mind, and he was met with an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

"Ahh, I see that you have realized that there's nothing you can do to change any of this. Good." Ran turned and walked off into the trees, pausing to throw words over her shoulder at Koichi, "don't fuck this up. I'll be back in a few hours." Then she was gone.

Koichi yanked at the leash again, cutting off Jin's airway, and crouched down next to him. He smirked, a dark expression on his face that told Jin he would not be shown mercy.

When the collar loosened around his throat just enough for him to breathe, Jin struggled to come up with a plan to escape.

They had taken away all the weapons they'd been able to find on him, except for the metal banded gloves he wore. His hands were bound behind his back with metal cuffs, but there was a little room for him to wiggle his wrists. Maybe if he broke one of his thumbs, he could slip his hand through one of the cuffs. Or perhaps, he could make them slippery enough to slip his hand right through. His kekkei genkai would likely prove useless in this situation.

The first idea's flaw was that he would have to rely on one hand afterwards for hand seals, which would limit the sorts of attacks he could use. Not ideal, but something he could work with.

The second idea's flaw was that he had nothing to make his gloves slippery enough to be able to slip through what little slack there was. It wasn't like he carried sticks of butter with him for situations like this.

Then he remembered the cut he'd made on his hand so that he could give Sadako his blood. If he could get the glove and bandages off, he could pick at the scabbed over wound and perhaps make it bleed enough for him to slip his hand out. He would need time.

As Koichi set the leash down for just a moment to grip Jin's face in one hand, Jin worked his glove off his hand, hoping that Koichi wouldn't be able to hear the metal pieces on his glove scraping against the metal cuffs.

Koichi took the leash up in his free hand again, and pulled it hard to cut off his airway again. "It's too bad that we were interrupted before. But now...there really is no one to save you again."

Jin choked, trying to draw in even just one rasping breath, but unable to. The promise he made to Kakashi passed through his mind. It gave him the strength to tear the bandage away from his cut.

Koichi gave the leash some slack and watched in amusement as Jin struggled to catch his breath, not knowing that he was only stalling for time until he could free himself.

"Go...to…" Jin broke off for a moment, coughing, "hell." He dug his thumbnail into his cut hard, peeling the scab away. A fresh stream of blood dripped down his hand, and he twisted his wrists just enough for the blood to drip down onto the metal cuff.

Koichi yanked the leash backwards again, and watched as Jin struggled to breathe. He held the leash tighter and longer this time, but released it just before Jin passed out from lack of oxygen.

"How does it make you feel to know that there's nothing you can do to save your friends, to know that they're going to die slowly and painfully? How does it feel to know that the reason they're going to die is because you're too pathetic to do anything about it? How does it feel to know that they're going to blame you for their deaths?" Koichi taunted cruelly.

Jin drew in a rasping breath, his fear melting away. He narrowed his eyes slowly, spreading his blood all over his wrist and hand to make it easier to slip out of the cuff. In a show of defiance, he spit in Koichi's face.

How dare this pathetic excuse for a shinobi challenge him like that? He was not going to let his friends die. Never again, would he let someone he cared about die needlessly. There were people depending on him, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let them down. Even if he was killed in the end, he would make sure to drag Koichi and Ran down to hell with him.

Koichi pulled the leash taut again, so suddenly that Jin's head jerked backwards painfully. "You piece of shit...how dare you?!" He snarled.

Jin worked at wiggling his hand out of the cuff, choking and sputtering in an attempt to take in even a single breath. He glared hatefully at Koichi, struggling to not let panic overtake him.

The moment Koichi let go of the leash in favor of struggling to unzip his own pants, Jin managed to slip his hand out of the cuff, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath.

He was up in an instant, snapping his knee up into Koichi's chin, sending his head snapping backwards painfully. He slammed his foot down on Koichi's hand before he grabbed the leash still attached to his collar.

"Don't you dare." Jin reached down, grabbing Koichi by his hair and yanking him up. "I've had quite enough of dealing with you, and I think it's about time that I settled things permanently."

Koichi's eyes widened as he stared at Jin, and before he could be stopped, he made several quick hand seals. He vanished in a puff of smoke, much to Jin's fury.

Unfortunately, though, Jin did not have the time to pursue Koichi. He was hardly a threat against anyone, whereas Ran had made a direct threat against his friends.

Jin turned very slowly and retrieved the glove he'd wiggled off to free his hand and pulled it back on. Then, taking a moment to finish catching his breath, he turned and set off quickly in the direction Ran had vanished in.

Surprisingly, it didn't take as much time to find Ran as he thought it would.

He found her in a clearing, tipping each of her claws with liquids from different vials. Undoubtedly, they were all different poisons, and Jin was sure that there were also different poisons residing within each claw, ready to leave its deadly contents behind once the claws had made their mark.

Ran turned to face Jin slowly. "I see that you've escaped from that idiot. You didn't kill him, did you? I don't see enough blood for that. I'll bet he ran away, didn't he?" She smirked and tipped her head to the side. "Don't worry, though; I won't give you such an easy fight."

Jin watched as she tucked the vials away and shifted her stance defensively. It would be ridiculously stupid to attack her at close range when she had such deadly weapons, but all his weapons except for his metal banded gloves had been confiscated.

He had no choice but to fight her at close range, and there was little more he could do to protect himself from whatever poisons she had doused her claws in. It was a chance he would have to take.

"I have to admit, I'm rather looking forward to taking your head back to Mizukage-sama." Jin said, stretching his fingers out slowly. "And might I say, that I'm rather disgusted that you've tried to copy one of the ways in which I fight with such a poor design."

"Oh, we'll see about that." Ran charged at him, raking her claws towards his face.

Jin ducked away just in time, noting that she was much faster than he had expected. Quickly, he kicked his foot out to knock her feet out from under her, smirking when she wasn't quite fast enough to avoid it. She landed painfully on the ground, but was up in a moment.

For a while, they were in a stalemate, neither managing to land a blow on the other properly. It didn't dawn on Jin that he'd forgotten to get rid of the collar and the leash until Ran snatched the collar up in her hand and yanked hard enough to knock him off balance.

Using that to her advantage, Ran slashed her claws downwards as she yanked him back towards her. Blood sprayed as her claws scored down his cheek and lips, leaving deep wounds. She released the leashed and slashed her claws at him again, the wicked, metal weapons spraying blood once more as they left deep cuts along his collarbone.

Jin stumbled backwards, one eye closed. He cursed, and ducked as Ran slashed at him once more, careful not to let her deadly claws hit him again.

Instead, he launched himself at her, blocking one hand with the metal bands on his glove, and slammed his fist against her face. He leapt backwards again, putting a hand up to his face to see how badly he was bleeding.

Ran toppled to the ground, but was back on her feet in an instant. "You know you're not going to win this fight, right? You've already been poisoned. How does it feel to know that you're a terrible failure? You failed Raizo, I heard, and I'm sure that he hates you for it. He's dead because of _you._ " She taunted, wiping blood from her nose.

Jin went still, his eyes widening. Her words made sense. Raizo probably did blame him and hated him because he was such a failure.

"And you know what makes that even better? You're going to fail _again_ and your friends will die because you are incapable of acting when the situation is most dire." Ran continued, her words cutting deeply into Jin's heart.

Jin didn't move when Ran approached him slowly; didn't fight when she slammed her fist against his face. He fell backwards, staring up at his opponent with wide eyes. He only let out a strangled gasp of pain when she slammed her foot down on his wrist. There was a loud 'crack' as the bones snapped.

"Oh my, it seems as if you've lost all your fight. If you're going to be so subservient, then perhaps I'll let you live long enough to watch your friends curse you with their last breaths for not saving them." Ran crowed, showing him an ugly smile.

Jin stared up at Ran, but didn't really see her. Memories flashed through his mind rapidly. The light fading from Kaoru's eyes as he died. Raizo smiling sweetly at him as far too much blood spilled from his failing body. Carrying Raizo's body back home without stopping for several days.

Then he remembered how Kakashi had always gone out of his way to help him, how he had smiled at him beneath his mask, how he had called him _beautiful._

He remembered Hakaru's lackadaisical smile, his bright spirit, and how he'd been wounded terribly trying to protect Kakashi after he'd been wounded. He remembered his newfound siblings, Runa and Chikara, and how he hadn't even had the chance to show them a good life yet.

He remembered Sakura telling him how he reminded her of an older sibling, and how he had promised to help Sasuke with his goal. He remembered Yui's kindness, and how Hinata never gave up, even after what had been done to her. He remembered Naruto's bright smile and stupid optimism.

What right did he have to give up now, when none of them had?

So what if Raizo blamed him? There was nothing he could do to change the past, but he could work to change the future.

Steeling his nerves, Jin made his decision. "I'm the failure?" He reached over slowly with his good hand and grabbed Ran's ankle in a tight grip. "You don't even know me." His voice was soft, but it sounded as if something had changed in him.

Ran yanked her foot away and backed up as Jin rose to his feet slowly. She narrowed her eyes at him, sensing that somehow the tides were going to turn back against her. "Oh, but I do. As a jounin, you're Shiraishi Jin. As a member of ANBU, you're Fubuki."

As Jin struggled to his feet, vision blurring, he looked up at her slowly. A blade of ice slowly formed in his good, wicked and sharp. "True statements. But you also seem to forget that I am also a hunter nin, and that it's my job to erase your existence."

"Oh, yes, I did forget that. However, you're only a half-rate hunter nin, incapable of even doing your job properly." Ran sneered.

"Are you sure about that? After all, you don't even know my code name." Jin waited patiently for the blade to form, and approached her as slowly as a zombie.

"Hm, I suppose you're right about that. Why don't you tell me what it is, then?" Ran sharpened her metal claws on a nearby tree, hardly seeming concerned about Jin.

"Instead, I'll let you guess." Jin examined his newly formed sword for a moment. "It shouldn't take long for you to figure it out." Only when he was acting as a hunter nin, did he fight with everything in him, though he never used his kekkei genkai.

Once he was close enough, Jin slashed his sword right at her throat, barely missing as she ducked backwards. He was moving faster now, dragging the blade up towards her again as soon as he'd finished the follow-through motion.

Ran didn't move fast enough, and the blade dragged up across her chest. Blood splattered to the ground, but the wound didn't slow her down. She caught Jin's foot in one hand as he tried to send her flying with a powerful kick.

With one swift motion, Ran dug her claws into the back of his knee, and viciously dragged them down his calf, shredding the muscles in his leg savagely.

Jin snarled in pain, drawing his sword backwards to prepare for a strike she could not dodge. "Remember, Ran, there's no mercy for the guilty." The words were barely a whisper, said the same moment he rammed his sword through her chest, the tip of the blade erupting from her back.

It was not a fatal wound, though it would become one if left untreated, and Ran knew it. She could already feel the blood filling her lungs, but that wasn't what stopped her in her tracks. It was what he had said. She had heard of a hunter nin who spoke those words, and never let his prey escape him.

"K-" She broke off as Jin grabbed her by the jaw and yanked his foot from her grasp. He stared at her coldly.

"That's right, Ran." Jin whispered, removing the blade from her chest with a spurt of blood. He watched as she fell backwards, keeping his weight on his good leg.

"Y-you...wait. I...if you let me live...I'll tell you...whatever you want to...know." Ran pleaded, trying in vain to crawl away from him. She coughed, blood bubbling up over her lips as she drowned in her own blood. "I...have information you...in particular would want to know…"

"Not interested. I already told you that I have no mercy for the guilty." Jin slammed his foot down on her back, pinning her there on the ground. He dropped his sword and yanked her head up by her hair with his good hand. "You'll tell me what you know, and then I'll kill you. If you tell me what I want to know now, I will give you a quick death. If you refuse, I'll let you die slowly. Tell me whatever information you claim to have."

"No! I won't tell you...unless you spare...me…" Ran yelped as Jin yanked her head back farther. "I...know who your...father is, but I won't...tell you...unless you...let me live…" Her breaths began to grow more ragged as blood filled her lungs.

For a moment, Jin hesitated. Then he shook his head. "Doesn't matter. You don't seem to know anything that I can actually use."

"No...he...works with…Oro-" Ran went silent when Jin yanked her her head sharply to the side, snapping her neck.

Jin let her go, leaning on his good leg as she collapsed to the ground. He dropped to his knees slowly, grabbing his sword again. Very slowly, he went to work removing her head from the rest of her body.

It was slow work. He only had the use of one of his hands, and his vision kept blurring. Blood splattered and drenched him, though he didn't seem to notice.

He felt numb, focused only on trying to saw through her spine. Sawing through bones was hard when one didn't have the proper tools.

Jin didn't know how much time had passed by the time he was done removing her head. He fumbled for an empty storage scroll, his hand shaking so hard that it took him multiple attempts to open it once he had found it.

He leaned back on his knees, slowly sealing Ran's head into the scroll. When he was done with that, he slowly went to work cutting her body into pieces at the joints. He had to destroy the rest of her body so that village secrets couldn't get out, and he didn't have the strength to keep a fire technique burning long enough to destroy it in the gentle sprinkling of rain that had begun to fall.

Once he had finished cutting her into pieces, he summoned Sadako with trembling hands, too numb to be afraid when the spider queen showed her face again.

"You can take the rest of her body back to the other spiders. Take the pieces and go." Jin spoke softly, his voice hoarse and pained.

He watched as the spider queen gathered up the pieces into a silk web she created. She gave Jin a passing glance before removing the clawed gloves from Ran's disconnected hands and tossing them over to him. A moment later, she disappeared with her meal, leaving Jin alone to make his way back to his companions.

Jin used a nearby tree as support to help him up, stowing away the clawed gloves in his pouch, and leaned all his weight on his good leg. Very slowly, he began to make his way back to the shack.

It was slow going, and a muted sense of relief washed over him when the shack came into view. He tried to move faster, but his leg was too badly wounded for him to do so. His vision blurred again, and he briefly realized that the poisons that had tipped the claws on Ran's gloves must be slow acting.

Ao and Midori were horrified when Jin came stumbling in, drenched in Ran's and his own blood, but he waved away their concern. He wiped as much of the blood off his face as he could, and tottered towards the room where he'd left Hakaru and Kakashi.

Jin was surprised to find that only Kakashi was in the room, but since he could faintly feel Hakaru's chakra signature, he knew that he was still okay.

Kakashi was sitting up in bed, looking agitated. From what little of his face that he could see, Jin could see how flushed and red he was. It was likely that he still had a fever from the remnants of the poison in his system.

Kakashi immediately turned his attention to Jin when the door opened, his eye widening in shock. He struggled to get out of bed to help Jin, a panicked, frenzied expression on his face.

Jin very gently made him sit back down, frowning slightly. He sat next to Kakashi as he frantically tried to see where Jin was bleeding from in his delirious state.

With a sigh, Jin reached up very slowly and put his hand behind Kakashi's head and pulled it closer to his own. He rested his forehead against Kakashi's, staring into his eye in exhaustion.

"It's okay now." Jin whispered, trying to calm Kakashi in the way that Kakashi had always calmed him. "Whatever that poison made you hallucinate isn't real. I promise. Things will be okay now."

So focused on trying to help Kakashi, Jin didn't notice the slow pitter-patter of his blood dripping onto the floor. It was a miracle that he'd actually made it back, considering how badly his leg had been torn up.

Kakashi slowly lifted his hand after a while, touching the collar still latched around his neck briefly. "Who did this to you?" He asked once he had started to calm down.

"Koichi." Jin whispered. "But that doesn't matter now. You should be resting. I've taken care of everything."

"Did he…?" Kakashi didn't finish his question, keeping his forehead leaned against Jin's. It was easy enough to guess the ending to the question, though.

"I...If I'm being honest, I don't know. Ran knocked me out, and I'm not sure how long I was unconscious. But I was still wearing all my clothes when I woke up, so I don't think so. I didn't let him do anything to me. I'm okay." Jin replied slowly, acutely aware of the way the collar constricted his throat again.

"You're not okay." Kakashi reached around Jin's neck slowly so that he could unlatch the collar, taking care not to brush against any of his injuries. "Hold still." He unlatched the buckle as quickly as he could manage, and removed the collar from around his neck.

Jin drew in a deep breath, relieved to be rid of the collar. "Thank you." He tried to smile, but the wounds Ran had left across his face made it more painful to smile than to talk. They were still slowly dripping blood.

There was a quiet knock at the door, and Ao entered the room with a large bowl of water and a rag. Behind him, Midori carried in an armful of medical supplies. "You need to have your wounds treated." Ao said.

Jin pulled away from Kakashi just enough to glance over at the two hunter nin. "Please don't touch me. I'll handle it." He flinched away Midori dropped the medical supplies on the bed next to them. He trusted Ao and Midori, but they didn't make him feel safe like Kakashi did. He couldn't be soothed and calmed by them.

Ao and Midori exchanged a glance, knowing that Jin needed to be taken care of, but not knowing how to go about doing so without upsetting him. They both glanced at Kakashi, unsure if it would be okay to rely on someone else who was also badly wounded to take care of Jin. Eventually, they had to give in.

"Take good care of him." Ao said, putting the bowl and rag down on the rickety nightstand next to the bed. He turned and grabbed Midori by the hand, guiding him out of the room and shutting the door quietly behind them.

"Jin, will you let me help you?" Kakashi asked slowly, calmer now, but still looking as if he had a fever.

"You need to rest, Kakashi. I'll be okay." Jin replied softly, resting his forehead against Kakashi's once more. He wasn't at all sure that he would be okay, but he was more concerned about Kakashi's health than his own.

Kakashi easily saw through him. "Sit back." He carefully made Jin lean back against the wall, and pulled his legs up onto the bed. He paused for a moment, trying to decide the best course of action. "Take your shirt off. And your pants, too."

Jin couldn't help but laugh softly, despite the pain he was in. "You're so bold. Not even gonna try to win my favor first?" With his good, hand, he slowly took off his shirt and let it drop to the floor. He managed to wiggle out of pants after a bit of struggling, but kept on the boxers he wore underneath.

Kakashi let out a sigh, and reached over to the nightstand, grabbing the rag and dipping it into the bowl. He began to wring it out, and then shifted so that he could examine Jin's leg first. He winced as the movement pulled at one of his wounds.

Ignoring Jin's weak protests, he carefully lifted Jin's wounded leg up, and dabbed gently at the wound. He refrained from asking questions, seeing how obviously exhausted Jin was.

It didn't take long to clean away the excess blood, and Kakashi was concerned with just how bad his leg wound was. It looked as if there was major damage to the muscle, and he wondered if it would be best to return to Konoha as soon as possible so that Tsunade herself could repair the damage done.

For the moment, though, Kakashi just cleaned the wound and wrapped a set of bandages around his leg starting from the knee down. He carefully set Jin's leg back down and turned his attention to the wound Ran had left across his collarbone, though his gaze drifted up towards the dark bruises that had begun to form around his neck where the collar had been pulled tight against his throat.

It made him angry that Jin had been put through such an ordeal, though he did not say so. Instead, he made sure to be extra gentle cleaning the wounds that he had received. He noticed Yukito the spider sitting on Jin's good hand, tiny fangs embedded in his flesh while he tried to neutralize the toxins left behind in his system by Ran's weapons.

"How are you feeling?" Jin asked quietly after a while, studying Kakashi. "I was worried about you." He held still when Kakashi moved on to cleaning the wounds scoring down his cheek.

"Better than you, it looks like." Kakashi hesitated for a moment. "You were gone for almost two days. When Ao and Midori told me that you had left alone with Ran and Koichi, and that you had been gone for so long, I thought..."

Jin frowned, but didn't speak until Kakashi finished wiping the blood from his face. "I'm sorry. It probably wasn't a great idea to go with them, but...I wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt." He watched Kakashi put rag into the bowl of water, stained red with his blood. "It's my fault you and Hakaru both got hurt. I should never have sent you two out there without backup."

"You had no way of knowing that we would be ambushed like that. It's not your fault." Kakashi took Jin's broken wrist very carefully, and began to splint it. It was the best he could do until they could get medical attention for him.

"Jin!" Yukito climbed rapidly up to sit behind Jin's ear. "You don't have to worry too much about the poison Ran got you with. It's mild, and there are only a few traces of it left in your system. Please do rest, though."

"Thank you, Yukito-sama. You can go home now." Jin said gently, reaching up slowly and petting the tiny spider with one finger.

Once Kakashi had finished doing what he could for his injuries, Jin tried to get up. His leg buckled beneath him, unable to hold his weight. He used the bed to pull himself back up, intent on going to see how Hakaru was.

Moving gingerly, Kakashi leaned over and pulled Jin back down onto the bed. "You need to rest. You're not going anywhere with that leg right now; you can check on Hakaru tomorrow. I'll sleep on the floor."

"No. You'll stay up here." Jin replied firmly, placing his good hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "We'll both stay here tonight." He took a moment to draw in a deep breath, and slowly wrapped his good arm around Kakashi in a loose hug.

Kakashi hesitated for only a fraction of a second before returning the hug. "I'm glad you're alright." He whispered, letting the relief he felt seep into his voice.

"I'm glad you're alright, too." Jin replied, pulling away after a moment. He slowly reached for a scroll he had left in his pouch, opening it and retrieving the spare set of clothes he kept for emergencies.

He carefully pulled on a long sleeved shirt and then a pair of soft, fleece pants. Once he had managed that, he slowly retrieved a warm blanket from the same scroll. He handed the blanket over to Kakashi and put the scroll away.

"Lie down." Kakashi nudged him gently, throwing the blanket over them both.

Jin did as he was told, facing Kakashi. He reached his hand out and put it on his forehead to check his temperature. "Your fever is going down." He said softly, resting his head down on the old pillow that had been on the bed when they'd shown up. "Get some rest…"

Relief washed over Jin as he watched Kakashi slowly drift off into sleep. He closed his own eyes and let sleep take him over.

* * *

 **Author's Note: When I read over Ran and Jin's fight scene again, and I have to admit that I was considering changing what Jin does after he kills her, but I decided to leave it in because the story will probably end up becoming far more gory than what was in this chapter. But, uh, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and it ended up being a little longer than intended. A few plot important things in this chapter!**

 **sarahgri99: I'm glad you enjoyed the cliffhanger and the update! Here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! :D**

 **Trisana: I'm glad that the last chapter cleared up the confusion, and I'm glad you liked the meaning behind the fireworks show! There may or may not be a continuation of the rest of the story in the next few chapters, so keep an eye out! :D As for how the Shiraishi clan lost everyone's respect, that is still deeply shrouded in mystery, but will eventually come to light...(forgive my terrible attempt at sounding ominous). And as for Hakaru...well, you'll see next chapter!**


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Sharp, debilitating pains in his abdomen woke Jin in the middle of the night. The nausea rising up in the back of his throat warned him that he was going to throw up.

Struggling with the blanket for a moment, Jin managed to slither off the bed with a soft thump. Using the bed to weakly pull himself up, he hopped slowly towards the door. He needed to get outside quickly, so that he didn't end up puking in the shack.

He crashed to the ground trying to get the door open, waking Kakashi. He didn't seem to notice, though, dizzy lightheadedness and nausea taking up his focus.

"Jin?" Kakashi asked, alarmed. When he saw what Jin was trying to do, he scrambled out of the bed, ignoring the pain as his wounds pulled. He went to Jin's side, putting his hand on his back. "What's wrong?"

"Out...outside…" Jin rasped, quickly covering his mouth as bile rose up in his throat. His breaths came in shallow rasps, as if he had just run a marathon.

Hearing the urgency in Jin's voice, Kakashi helped him up and slipped his arm around his neck, while he slipped his own arm around his waist to support him. He quickly opened the door and helped Jin out towards the door that led outside.

The moment they made it outside, Jin collapsed to the ground, retching violently. He heard Kakashi crouch next to him and put his hand on his back comfortingly, while he threw up violently.

Jin didn't understand why he was throwing up so much, since he'd had very little to eat since the gala. Still, it was a good ten minutes until he was sure he was done throwing up. Trembling, he straightened up.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked gently, keeping his hand on his back.

"He's not okay." Yukito reported all of a sudden from behind Jin's ear. "He's been poisoned! It's different from the poison I found in his system when you treated his wounds earlier. From what I can tell, it's not something that shows up in the bloodstream until after it's been ingested and digested. It seems like it doesn't do anything if it enters the bloodstream directly, otherwise I would have detected it. Jin, is there anything you could have eaten that could've been poisoned? It would have had to happen sometime after the gala."

"...fuck." Jin rasped. "I'm an idiot. How could I have forgotten?" He wiped his mouth on his sleeve slowly, not bothering to question why the spider was still there after he had told him he could go home. "Ran always tested her poisons on herself first. I...I wouldn't be surprised if her blood was poison. I didn't notice swallowing any of it, but...but her blood was everywhere by the time I was done with her…"

He leaned over again, retching again, though there was pretty much nothing left in his stomach anymore.

Kakashi gently rubbed Jin's back, frowning. "Yukito-san, is there anything you can do about it?"

"No. It's too unstable for me to handle. Sadako-sama can't come here, either, to help him…" Yukito crawled out from behind Jin's ear momentarily. "Get him inside, and I'll assess how much he ingested. It's good that he's throwing it up, though. It means less will enter his bloodstream."

Kakashi helped Jin up again once he had stopped throwing up, and helped him back into the shack. "Do what you can."

Jin leaned heavily against Kakashi, shivering violently. His limbs felt like jelly, and it was hard to move, even with Kakashi's help. The sharp pain had started to spread out from his abdomen, growing worse.

When they made it back to the room, Kakashi helped Jin lay back down, wincing as the movement pulled at his wounds again. He pulled the blanket up over Jin and put his hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He was burning up.

Kakashi quickly left the room again, hunting for a clean bowl he could fill with water and a clean rag. He found them in the makeshift kitchen, and filled the bowl with cool water.

He returned to Jin as quickly as he could, setting the bowl on the nightstand next to the other one. He dipped the rag in the bowl and wrung it out before folding it carefully and placing it on Jin's forehead.

Jin opened his eyes slowly when Kakashi turned to leave again. He quickly grabbed his wrist, a sudden fear rising up in his chest. "Don't go…" He whispered.

"Jin, it'll be okay. I'll be back in a moment." Kakashi promised, gently prying his hand away. He left quickly and returned to the makeshift kitchen, grabbing a glass of water for Jin. Dehydration would only make things worse, especially since Jin had been throwing up so much.

Kakashi returned to the room, greeted with the sight of Jin looking around in a panic, eyes wild and scared. He hurried over and set the glass down.

"I'm back. It's going to be okay, Jin. Calm down, I'm here." Kakashi sat down next to him gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. He leaned back against the headboard.

"Please don't leave me again." Jin latched onto his wrist again, staring up with wide, dazed eyes.

"Ah, it looks like Jin didn't swallow a lot. There's a good chance he'll survive the dosage he received, if you can keep his fever down. I'll do what I can to lessen his pain. Ah, but you definitely need to keep a close eye on his breathing and his pulse. This poison seems to be in the early stages of testing, so it will be unpredictable." Yukito reported from behind Jin's ear.

"Thank you." Kakashi replied, frowning at Jin.

Jin sat up slowly, delirious with the fever that had spiked out of nowhere. He shifted closer to Kakashi, staring into his eyes.

Kakashi hesitated before putting his arm around Jin's shoulders and pulled him close. He was surprised when Jin practically climbed into his lap and rested his head on his shoulder. He didn't protest, though, instead dipping the rag in the cool water again, and putting it over Jin's forehead.

When he was done with that, he dried his hand and rested it gently on Jin's uninjured cheek in an attempt to calm him. He tightened his grip around Jin's shoulders slightly, concerned with the way he was acting.

Jin didn't say much to Kakashi while his fever continued to rise. He was so out of it, that he didn't know how to express his fear. He just remembered when he was younger seeing what Ran's victims had gone through after they'd been poisoned, how so many of them had died alone, with no one by their side. He was terrified of sharing that same fate, and so he clung with trembling hands to Kakashi.

Throughout the rest of the night, Jin's breathing switched between harsh, shallow rasps and such slow breaths that Kakashi had feared that he had not survived. Still, while his breathing was unstable, his heartbeat remained strong, as if he were not ready to give up just yet.

He drifted in and out of consciousness, until he sank into a calm, restful sleep just before dawn. It was around that time that his fever broke, and his breathing began to ease.

Kakashi, having started running his hand through Jin's soft hair to keep him calm, let out a sigh of relief. Though he had grown stiff from sitting in one position for so long, he didn't want to disturb the rest that Jin so desperately needed.

Yukito skittered out from behind Jin's ear and peered up at Kakashi. "He should be alright now. You don't have to worry anymore because the last traces of the poison have gone now. I'll be going now." With a respectful salute, the tiny spider disappeared in an equally tiny puff of smoke.

Just as he was starting to doze off, Kakashi heard the door open slowly. He opened his eye and looked up slowly, shocked to see who had just stumbled into the room. Quickly, he adjusted Jin onto the bed and got up to meet his visitor.

It was Hakaru, pale and shaky, but seemingly determined to get to Jin. His sightless eyes stared blankly ahead, shadowed by dark circles. "Jin-chan…" He whispered desperately.

Kakashi winced as he pulled at his wounds again, and gently put his hands on Hakaru's shoulders, relieved that he was awake, but concerned that he was up and moving about before he should be. He didn't have the heart to send him back to the other room, so instead he helped him over to the bed and had him lay down next to Jin. "Rest, Hakaru." He said gently, pulling the blanket over the pair of them.

The moment he moved to leave the room, Jin grabbed his hand, having reached across Hakaru to do so. "Stay." He whispered hoarsely. He tugged at Kakashi's hand sharply enough for him to get it.

It was cramped when he laid down with them, but Hakaru seemed to relax more than before between the pair of them.

Jin let go of Kakashi's hand and instead began to stroke Hakaru's platinum blonde hair to ease him into sleep. He watched Hakaru with half-lidded eyes until the boy fell asleep. Then he glanced up at Kakashi slowly. "Thank you."

He was incredibly happy that Hakaru would be okay, but exhaustion muted his relief. With a small sigh, Jin closed his eyes to rest. He was asleep in moments.

* * *

" _You have to control the power you put behind your swing, Yoshihisa." Kotaro reminded patiently, his naginata held loosely at his side. He stepped forward and steadied Yoshihisa._

 _It had been a week since Kotaro had rescued Yoshihisa and brought him home, and Kotaro had decided that Yoshihisa needed to be able to defend himself in case anything happened again._

 _So far, things were not going well. They had to keep things secret from the Daimyo because Yoshihisa was not permitted to become a shinobi. He was the heir, and his father thought that his focus should not be distracted with other things, while his sister was free to learn whatever she pleased. Kotaro did not understand that. It made more sense to him for everyone to learn how to at least defend themselves._

" _Ahh, can we take a break?" Yoshihisa asked softly once he had steadied himself. Sweat dripped down from his hairline, and he was out of breath. The bruises had just started fading from his skin._

" _Of course." Kotaro took the bamboo sword from Yoshihisa's hands and set it down against a bench. He set his own naginata down and helped Yoshihisa sit. He sat next to him slowly, wincing as the action pulled at his healing wound._

" _I...Kotaro, I feel like I owe you an explanation." Yoshihisa began hesitantly, staring down at his delicate hands._

" _For what?" Kotaro asked, tipping his head to the side slightly as if he had no idea what Yoshihisa was talking about._

 _Yoshihisa reached over and took Kotaro's hand in his own gently. He took his glove off and slowly traced pattern he had left on his hand the day Kotaro had rescued him. "You remember what I did the day you came for me, right?"_

" _Yes, what about it?" Kotaro had wondered how Yoshihisa had managed to use a kekkei genkai that did not belong to the Katagiri family, but he had decided not to question him about it because he didn't want to cross any of Yoshihisa's boundaries._

" _I...I need to explain how I did that. It's not fair for me to have done that without your permission first. I…" Yoshihisa squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, frowning._

 _Kotaro placed a hand on his back gently, watching as a beam of moonlight shone down on Yoshihisa's beautiful red hair. "Take a moment to compose yourself."_

 _Yoshihisa leaned into his touch, closing his eyes for a moment. "My family has a kekkei genkai. It's been kept secret from the public since we realized what it could do. We were scared what would happen if anyone found out how much power we could have…"_

" _What do you mean?" Kotaro prompted gently, shifting closer to shield Yoshihisa from the chill of the wind._

" _My family can copy whatever kekkei genkai we run into, and we can absorb the entirety of someone's chakra reserve. When we copy someone's kekkei genkai, it leaves some sort of pattern on the skin. Like this." Yoshihisa traced the pattern on Kotaro's hand and wrist with one finger again._

" _That's how you did that, then." Kotaro stated, but didn't seem upset in the slightest. "I'm impressed with how quickly you picked up how to use my kekkei genkai. When it first manifested in me, I couldn't control it at all." He gave Yoshihisa a smile that was reserved only for him._

" _You...you're not mad at me?" Yoshihisa looked up at Kotaro quickly, his eyes widening. "You're not mad at me for copying you without permission?"_

" _Why would I be? It was smart in the situation, and brave. I don't mind at all. If you hadn't, things probably would have ended very differently that day. I do have one question, though." Kotaro thought for several moments, considering how to phrase what he wanted to ask._

 _Yoshihisa couldn't help but lean against Kotaro in his relief. "What is it?"_

" _Once you've copied someone's kekkei genkai, do you get to keep it permanently?" Kotaro asked slowly, an idea coming to mind._

" _Yes, why?" Yoshihisa asked curiously._

" _I may have found a way for you to learn to defend yourself more easily…"_

* * *

" _A passage in the restroom? How crude the newer generations have become." Aiko tuned out Azusa's voice in favor of leading the way down the passage to where the bounty station was hidden._

 _Aiko did not like Azusa. She was conceited and bossy, and insisted on trying to take control of everything they did. She was nasty and never stopped talking about her dead brother, much to the annoyance of everyone who ended up stuck babysitting her._

 _In Aiko's opinion, Azusa was a brat, spoiled rotten to the core. A selfish bitch who had never known real struggle or pain. She was a pampered princess who had never had to know what it felt like to live in fear of the ones who had brought her into this world. Aiko wished her father had chosen someone else to bring back from the dead instead of Azusa._

 _After several minutes, a faint light appeared at the end of passage. Aiko picked up the pace and opened the door into the bounty station. She stepped through the door, Azusa close behind her._

 _A few heads turned their way, but no one said anything to them. The two women looked completely out of place here, though one was very familiar to the one who ran the bounty station._

 _Aiko stepped into line behind a bounty hunter twice her size and waited her turn. Her amber eyes scanned the room swiftly, searching for a particular pair of bounty hunters, one of which she knew would not be able to let the chance she was about to present escape._

 _She was in luck. The pair were there, dressed in something less flashy than the black cloaks adorned with red clouds that they normally wore. She averted her eyes quickly to make sure they wouldn't catch her looking._

" _How long is this going to take? If these idiots knew who I was, they wouldn't make us wait so long." Azusa complained. She fiddled with the wakizashi at her side, unhappy that she didn't have her real one._

" _Shut your mouth, Azusa." Aiko said coldly, taking her place to speak with the man who ran the bounty station. She offered the man a smile. "I want to place a bounty on someone's head. He's proven to be troublesome, and I want him gone."_

" _Very well. What's his name, Aiko-san?" The man asked, watching her calmly. She was a frequent visitor, though she usually cashed in bounties of her own instead of setting one up._

" _Shiraishi Jin." Aiko replied promptly, passing a picture of her target to the man._

" _What's the price on his head?" The man took the picture and wrote down the name. He would do more research later and have his name and picture put into the bingo book._

 _Aiko took the briefcase from Azusa's other hand and passed it to the man. "Seven hundred and fifty million ryo."_

 _The man dropped his pen, staring at Aiko with a measure of alarm. "That's two hundred and fifty million higher than that Mist hunter nin, Kita Kaze. Is he worth that price?"_

" _Every bit of it. I want him dead." Aiko glanced around at the bounty hunters in the room, and then at Azusa. She gave a short nod to allow her to speak._

" _The first one to bring me his head, gets all seven fifty million. But if I take him out first, you get absolutely nothing." Azusa announced, placing one hand on her hip. "May only the best reap the reward."_

 _Aiko glanced around once more, her gaze resting on her two targets. Their intrigue was obvious. Everything was going to plan so far. Only Akatsuki's own Hidan and Kakuzu would be able to challenge Jin on an equal footing, and if Aiko was lucky, they would all die in the resulting battle._

 _Now, all they had to do was wait._

* * *

Jin woke feeling well-rested despite the pain from his wounds and lingering soreness the poison had left in its wake. He opened his eyes slowly, greeted by the sight of Hakaru sleeping soundly by his side.

Relief washed over him briefly, and he smiled. Pain twinged from the claw wounds that Ran had left down his face and across his lips. He figured that those wounds would take more time to heal since he couldn't just keep his mouth shut the entire time. He needed to eat, after all.

Watery sunlight shone through the tattered curtains on the window, illuminating the room in a pale yellow. It shone down on Hakaru's platinum hair, and Jin noted the dark circles under Hakaru's eyes, remaining even as the boy slept.

Jin watched Hakaru sleep for a while longer before slowly sitting up. He glanced past Hakaru and saw Kakashi fast asleep on his other side. It was a huge relief to him that they were both okay.

After several moments of just sitting still to see how he felt, Jin's stomach growled in hunger. He let out a soft sigh and pushed himself up onto his uninjured leg, keeping the other just barely off the ground. To keep his balance, he put his hand on the wall and leaned against it just slightly.

Jin slowly put his foot to the ground and put a little weight on it. A hiss of pain escaped his lips, but he found that despite the pain, his leg was able to take what little weight he'd put on it. So long as he kept the majority of his weight on his good leg, he figured that he would be able to at least hobble around. It was painful, and by no means a good idea, but it granted him mobility for the moment.

A wave a lightheadedness stopped him in his tracks. Perhaps the side effects of Ran's poison had not worn off completely yet. With a hiss of pain, he sat back down on the bed and closed his eyes.

Jin had to admit that he probably wasn't in any shape to be wandering around on his own, but it had been worth a try. If he could at least move around on his own, then he would be able to get out of the hospital quicker once they returned to Kiri. Unless…

There was always the option of sending Chika to the Mizukage with the scroll that held Ran's head. If he did that, then he could send Ao and Midori back to Kiri on their own. They could escort Yui, Kiba, Chikara and Runa to the boat they would use to cross the channel between Water Country and Fire Country.

Doing it that way would make staying out of the hospital an easier feat to manage. And since they wouldn't be able to travel on Himeko this time, it would give them a chance for their wounds to heal enough so that they wouldn't have to be admitted.

"What are you doing up? I thought you would have slept longer…" Kakashi asked softly, his one uncovered eye still clouded from sleep. He sat up slowly, careful not to disturb Hakaru. "How are you feeling?"

"Bit lightheaded…" Jin glanced back at him and let out a sigh. "I woke up hungry, but getting up is not easy for me right now…" He gave Kakashi a tired smile.

"Lay back down." Kakashi said gently, slowly getting up. "I'll see what I can find for you to eat." He left the room without waiting for an answer, moving slowly so as not to make his wounds worse.

Jin did as he was told, lying back down next to Hakaru. He watched his adoptive brother sleep, gently pulling the blanket up further over the boy.

It was clear to him now that he needed to figure out what to do with Hakaru. He couldn't keep bringing Hakaru with him on missions when he was untrained and unable to defend himself properly. Yet, Hakaru was a great benefit on bad missions, his medical skills extremely valuable in the field.

Hakaru either needed to become an official shinobi or remain at home permanently, where he would be safe. There was no way around it.

Kakashi returned several minutes later, a bag of food from the gala in his hands. "Apparently, Midori thought it would be a good idea to stock up on food while we were at the gala. I don't know how he got so much without getting caught." He explained, shrugging.

Jin laughed softly, sitting up slowly as Kakashi sat down on the bed next to him. "That doesn't surprise me. He's always been really good at stealing food without getting caught." His smile faltered for a moment as he remembered why Midori was so good at stealing food.

As Kakashi opened the bag of food, Jin reached out quickly. He was _starving_ and he forgot to take into consideration whether or not his stomach was up to eating the rich foods that Midori had stolen so soon after his poisoning.

"Ah, wait. You should try eating something more bland first. You were throwing up pretty badly last night, and it would be better to go easier on your stomach for now." Kakashi warned, looking through the bag of food for something that would be easy on Jin's stomach.

"But…" Jin protested weakly, shifting closer to Kakashi. "I'm sure I'll be fine…" He began to pout, hoping that looking cute would make Kakashi give in.

Kakashi glanced over, his eye widening slightly. His cheeks tinted pink at the sight of Jin's wide eyes and sad expression, not unlike a puppy's. He could feel his heart melting against his will.

He'd never really noticed how attractive Jin really was before now. Even battered and bruised, he was like some sort of ethereal being; much too beautiful to truly be human. He found that he wanted to see Jin smile again. He wanted to see Jin's _real_ smile again.

"...fine. But don't say that I didn't warn you." Kakashi gave in and handed over the whole bag. He looked away and took a moment to compose himself and get rid of his lingering thoughts. "After you've eaten, I'll check your wounds."

Jin didn't reply, instead digging through the bag of food until he found what he wanted; taiyaki. It had been an odd thing to have at such a formal event, but Jin was glad that it had been there. He adored taiyaki and the way the pastries came in fish shapes.

Almost immediately, Jin tore a bite out of the taiyaki, not bothering with any of the polite manners he usually had. He was ravenous, completely decimating the poor fish-shaped pastry in a matter of minutes.

"Okay, take a break. You'll make yourself sick if you eat too much more right now. You haven't eaten much in the last two days, so your body will need time to readjust to having a lot of food." Kakashi reminded him, taking the bag of food away and putting it out of Jin's reach.

Jin pouted, but didn't protest much. He understood that Kakashi was just making sure he didn't make himself sick. It made him happy that Kakashi cared so much about him.

"Alright. Let me take a look at your wounds again." Kakashi said. He wanted to make sure that they wouldn't get infected. Bad bacteria had a tendency to hide on claws, natural or not.

Jin shifted a little and pulled up his pant leg so that Kakashi could look at those wounds first. He winced as Kakashi slowly unwrapped the bloodied bandages and examined the wounds again.

Though his leg was in bad condition, it looked as if he had avoided developing an infection so far. Upon closer inspection, it was obvious how much of the muscle had been torn.

"How did you make it back here on your own?" Kakashi asked, realizing how difficult it would have been to get back with the extent of damage that had been done. He very gently dabbed at spots that were still bleeding, and then grabbed a new roll of bandages. He set to work rewrapping his wound while he waited for Jin's answer.

"Ahh...I think most of it was adrenaline, and the rest of it desperation." Jin replied. "I'm gonna admit, I wasn't thinking clearly then and my memory is a bit fuzzy." He winced when Kakashi pulled the bandages tight around his leg.

"You can't walk on it. You'll make it worse if you try." Kakashi warned, finishing up with his leg. He glanced up at him, gaze lingering on the dark bruises that had formed around his neck in the shape of the collar Koichi had put on him.

"I know. I won't." Jin conceded, slowly putting his leg back down once Kakashi had finished. He flinched slightly when Kakashi rested his fingers on the tender bruises around his neck. "Ah, that hurts a bit…"

Kakashi pulled his hand away immediately. "I'm sorry." He reached up and gently removed the bandages from Jin's face. He had noticed the night before that the wounds on his collarbone were shallow. As Jin leaned into his touch, he noted how comfortable Jin had become with him, and wondered when that had happened.

The wounds on Jin's face were nasty, to say the least, though it did not look as if they had become infected. It looked as if Ran had tried her best to gouge out Jin's eye, but had missed by an eighth of an inch. Still, she had managed to shred the corner of his mouth, which would make it painful for him to eat anything.

"...how bad do I look?" Jin asked, unusually quiet. "It must be bad, huh?"

Kakashi took a moment to think about his words. "You look beautiful. Just as you did before." He said finally, brushing a few strands of hair out of his eyes. It wasn't a lie.

Jin's face went crimson, and he stared at Kakashi for a moment with wide eyes. Genuine compliments had always left him flustered, and this occasion was no different. He looked away bashfully, unable to hide the pleased smile spreading across his face.

"Thank you. That...that really means a lot to me." Jin whispered. He leaned close and wrapped his arms around Kakashi gently, careful not to jar him too much, in fear of causing pain to the wound he had sustained.

"Of course. Now let me look at your face again." Kakashi replied, smiling faintly beneath his mask. He leaned close when Jin let go of him, focusing on the claw marks on his face for a moment.

"Kakashi, thank you for taking care of me last night. I know it couldn't have been easy, but I really appreciate it." Jin said quietly, unable to keep from speaking while Kakashi examined his face. He avoided eye contact, self-conscious of the way he looked.

"Of course. You're my friend; how could I not?" Gently, Kakashi wiped a smudge of blood from the corner of Jin's mouth. "I'm glad that you're okay now." He left out how worried he had been, instead smiling beneath his mask.

Jin sat still for a moment, unable to come up with a response to that. Luckily enough for him, he didn't have to, because a moment later Hakaru began to shift around.

"Jin-chan…" He whined quietly, struggling to sit up. He managed it after a few moments, and rubbed his eyes slowly. Then he crawled closer and wrapped his arms around Jin. "It doesn't hurt as bad as before…"

Jin exchanged a glance with Kakashi, frowning a little. "Hakaru-chan, can we take a look at your injuries again? We need to make sure that they haven't gotten infected."

Hakaru let go of Jin and slowly lifted up his shirt so that they could look at the neat stitches that kept his wounds closed. He blinked sightlessly and slowly yawned.

Much to Jin's surprise, Hakaru's wounds already looked half healed. He exchanged another glance with Kakashi before looking back at Hakaru. "You haven't been healing yourself, have you? Your injuries already look half healed."

"No…" Hakaru replied, his face scrunching up in confusion. "I don't think I have…" He lowered his shirt again and pulled the blanket up around his shoulders.

Jin couldn't help but smile. Hakaru was really going to be okay. He quickly wrapped his arms around his adoptive brother, not bothering to question how he had healed so quickly. It didn't matter to him so long as he was okay.

Everything was okay.

* * *

The next week went by in a blur. They took a few days to rest and recover before returning to Kiri, where they met back up with Yui, Kiba, Chikara, and Runa. After that, they traveled slowly back to the Land of Fire, their time in the Mist coming to an end.

They parted with Ao and Midori when they reached the boat that would return them to the Land of Fire, separating with the promise of one day meeting again.

It was over that week that Jin realized that he no longer thought about Raizo as much as he used to, and when he _did_ think about Raizo, it didn't hurt nearly as much as it had before. He remembered the good times they had had together without the twinge of pain that had always come with it before.

Jin didn't know what had triggered the change in him, but he felt strangely free now. It was a change for him, but a good change. Perhaps it was the knowledge that he was not nearly as alone as he had originally thought, that there were people around him to support him.

"You seem happier." Kakashi commented when their boat had docked finally in the Land of Fire.

Jin grinned at him. "Perhaps I am a bit happier. I'm not really sure why, but it's nice." He leaned heavily against Kakashi, allowing him to support him as they disembarked from the boat.

He found that he had missed the Land of Fire, had missed the bright sun that beamed down brightly. It was a surprise when it began to snow lightly, the first sign that winter had come in the Land of Fire, and something that Jin delighted in. It was a natural winter, too, and not something brought on by anyone who carried the same kekkei genkai that Jin did, though he had realized some time ago that the man, Rikichi, had been tailing them for quite a while now.

Strangely enough, though, Rikichi hadn't once approached or tried to attack from afar. Whatever it was that kept him away, Jin was grateful for it. He was in no state to end up in another fight with Rikichi. Hell, he couldn't walk without Kakashi's support.

It took another week to make it back to Konoha, and when Jin went to greet Tsunade, it was not pleasant. The look in her eyes when he saw her was not good. She clearly knew something that Jin was not aware of. Or, worse, she knew something that he had tried to keep secret.

"Good, you can't run away." Tsunade greeted, glancing briefly at Kakashi. "Leave us for a moment. There's something that Jin and I need to discuss."

After a moment's hesitation, Kakashi helped Jin sit down and left him alone with Tsunade and Hakaru, who would not leave without Jin.

"Who is this?" Tsunade asked once Kakashi had left, nodding towards Hakaru. Jin realized that he hadn't told her about Hakaru yet. Though, by the way she spoke, it was clear that this was a question asked to lure him into a false sense of security before she asked her real question.

"This is Hakaru-chan. I, uh, found him on a solo mission in the Mist several years ago. He's like a little brother to me." Jin replied, nodding to a very shy Hakaru.

"H-hi…" Hakaru greeted, unable to meet her eyes, more because he was frightened of her than because of his blindness.

Tsunade gave a slight nod, seeming to make a decision. "There's something I want you to explain to me, and you had better not avoid the question."

"Ah, actually, Tsunade-hime, I've got some very important business to attend to right now." Jin spoke quickly. "Hakaru-chan, would you mind helping me up. I just wanted to say hello."

"Don't you dare." Tsunade snapped at Hakaru when he obediently tried to help Jin up. He skittered away, a small squeak escaping his lips.

"Tsunade-hime, whatever it is can wait, I'm sure. My leg hurts like hell, and I'd like to have that taken care of as soon as possible." Jin spoke nervously, bracing himself to make a break for it. Not that he could.

"Oh no, I don't think so. You're going to give me an explanation, or you can heal naturally." She threatened, eyes narrowed at him.

Jin couldn't think of any way out of the situation, so he just resigned himself to his miserable fate. "Okay, what's the matter?"

"I'd like you to explain to me why there's a report in your medical file of a suicide attempt, and why you used the particular poison mentioned in the report." Tsunade said, staring Jin down.

"No." Jin replied after a few moments. "That's not any of your business, and I won't talk about it with you, or anyone. There were any lasting effects. Hakaru made sure of that. Hakaru, we're leaving. Please help me up."

"Jin, you are not leaving until I get an answer." Tsunade snapped when Hakaru went to help Jin up.

"Forgive me for this, but you're not my mother, Tsunade-hime, and I am not a shinobi under your rule. I'll do whatever I damn well please, and I won't let you dig into things that are better left alone." Jin stood up carefully, allowing Hakaru to support him.

Without another word, Jin and Hakaru left Tsunade's office and made their way to the hospital. Jin didn't care if he had to let his wounds heal naturally. He wasn't going to put up with Tsunade prying into his private business.

Angry, he didn't look back once.

* * *

" _I'm glad you brought me along, Emi-chan, but are you sure that you're ready to do this?" Mamoru asked from beside her._

" _I have to. I need to find out what happened to Ikki-nii-san. He promised to send for us, but I haven't heard from him since we left home. This is the first step to finding the answers I need." Emi replied. "I promise you that I'll come back. Just wait for me."_

 _Emi hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around Mamoru in a tight hug. Then she stepped onto the shoddy raft that would take her to the land of her ancestors, the land that had been in the stories Kotaro had told her, the land in the far reaches of the Land of Water._

" _Are you sure that I can't come with you?" Mamoru asked desperately._

" _Yes, I'm sure. This is something that I have to do on my own. I know that it's dangerous, but I have to find the truth. This will help me." Emi replied, reaching out to take his hand for a moment. "Trust in me. I'll be back."_

" _...but will you still be the same Emi when you return?" Mamoru asked softly, sorrow shining in his eyes._

" _Of course I will. I'll just be stronger than I was before. Mamoru, no matter what happens there, I will always love you." Emi smiled, and kicked the raft away from the shoreline before he could answer._

" _Dammit...Emi, you'd better come back to me after saying that! If you don't, I'll come after you!" Mamoru shouted after her, raking a hand through his dark hair._

 _Emi just waved and steered the raft in the direction of the three islands her brother had spoken of. She kept her gaze focused on the horizon, trusting in her instincts. Kotaro had always told her that her instincts would guide her true._

 _Though she could barely remember it, Emi knew she had been to her destination before, when she and her siblings had fled from home. Hisashi had told her that they needed to visit if they were to leave the country. He had said that Kuraokami would give them the strength to find better lives. However, she remembered very little of the encounter._

 _Over the next several days, Emi fought to keep her raft afloat and on the right course. It wasn't until the fog grew so thick she couldn't see an inch in front of her face that Emi realized she was almost there._

 _She steered her raft onto the first piece of land she saw and disembarked. Dragging the raft farther up the shore to make sure it wasn't washed away, she glanced around suspiciously. The fog was less dense on the island itself, but whenever she looked out over the waves, she could see nothing._

 _Strange as this place looked, it felt like home._

 _As if beckoned by a siren's call, Emi left her raft behind and headed inland. She walked with purpose, as if she had suddenly remembered exactly how to get to where she needed to be._

 _All around her, violet eyes watched her progress, but Emi paid them no mind. She knew that they would not harm her. Kotaro had told her of this so many years ago, had told her what she must do to receive Kuraokami's blessing._

 _Emi stopped in a large clearing and looked around slowly. Supposedly, this was where the great warrior, her ancestor, Kiri had shipwrecked and met Kuraokami. She was not afraid like he had been._

 _The mist thickened briefly, and the ground quaked beneath her feet. With an enormous exhale of breath, a large reptilian head appeared from the mist. Violet eyes like glimmering gemstones stared at her inquisitively. Black scales gleamed in the watery moonlight that barely made it past the fog._

" _You have returned." The serpentine dragon's voice vibrated so deep that the earth shook beneath their feet._

" _I have, Kuraokami-sama." Without hesitation, Emi reached up and placed her hand on the dragon's enormous snout._

" _You are bolder than he was." Kuraokami spoke more softly than before, though the earth still trembled beneath their feet. "Why have you come?" The expression in his violet slitted eyes told her that he already knew the answer to that question._

" _I want to know the truth. I have to find out what happened to Ikki-nii-san." The expression on Emi's face darkened. "And I have to make my father pay for ordering my oldest brother's execution. I want your blessing."_

 _The dragon snorted, a burst of frost puffing out from his nose. "What makes you worthy of my blessing? Are you prepared to pass my trial, like so many others before you have?"_

" _Of course. I survived the battle with Azusa. If I could manage that, there's no way that I would fail your trial, no matter what you throw at me." Emi glared at the dragon god in a pale imitation of the way he glared at her._

" _My trial is not a combat trial. It's a trial of acceptance." The dragon snarled, shoving her over._

 _Emi fell, staring up at the god in confusion. "Acceptance of what?" She asked softly._

" _The truth."_

* * *

 **Author's Note: I am not at all happy with how this chapter turned out, but I hope you at least enjoy it. Also, since I've been dragged into the holiday spirit, next chapter will be winter holiday themed. Expect a lot of fluff. I plan to have it up before the end of next month, though that may be subject to change because work is getting more hectic with the holiday season. I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far, so feel free to review! Also, maybe soon we'll dive into the Katagiri clan's history and what's up with them! I'm sure there's much more than meets the eye...anyway, thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it!**

 **sarahgri99: I'm so glad you enjoyed the fight scene! Admittedly, it was a little hard to write, and I wasn't sure if it had turned out okay. Ran's fighting style was difficult for me to figure out because even though it's similar to Jin's, it's also much, much different. Anyway, I'm super happy that you enjoyed the last chapter!**


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

True to her word, Tsunade had forced Jin to let his leg heal naturally, which had led to multiple surgeries to repair the damage to the muscle. Needless to say, Jin was not pleased to be stuck in the hospital for such a long time, but he had still refused to tell Tsunade what she wanted to know.

A month and a half was a long time for him to be stuck there, and it grated on his nerves. Thankfully, he was finally allowed to be released, though he was required to show up again twice a week for physical therapy.

Walking was painful, but Jin was grateful that he didn't have to hobble out on crutches. It would put a dent in what little pride he had.

Hakaru ambushed him outside the hospital, leaping into Jin's and nearly toppling them both to the ground. He had made a full recovery, much to Jin's relief and concern. He hoped Kakashi hadn't told Tsunade about how quickly Hakaru had healed.

Jin was not yet prepared to answer questions regarding Hakaru.

"You're free!" Hakaru squealed, wrapping his arms around Jin's neck tightly and snuggling as close as he could. "You're finally free!"

Jin stumbled backwards, wrapping his good arm around Hakaru securely. "Careful, my wrist hasn't quite healed yet, and neither has my leg."

Hakaru immediately let go and stared up at Jin blindly. "Sorry, Jin-chan! I missed you!" His pout reminded Jin of a puppy.

"I missed you, too. I trust that you've been good for everyone? No more planting weeds in sinks?" Jin teased gently, ruffling up his hair.

Hakaru ducked away and flattened his messy hair. "Kakashi-chan said it was okay, so I put flowers in the sinks!" He replied proudly. It took a moment for Jin to realize that it was a joke.

"You are literally too cute for your own good, Hakaru-chan." Jin dragged him into a gentle hug, but let him go soon after. "Ready to go?"

"Mm...I wanna hang out with you, but Sakura-chan invited us all to hang out for the holiday today!" Hakaru pouted and rubbed at a dirt smudge on his cheek.

"What holiday?" Jin tipped his head to the side slightly, blinking in confusion.

"I dunno what it's called, but it's a weird holiday from another country, far past any of the countries we've ever heard of! It's a holiday for couples to go on dates! But Sakura-chan said that friends hang out all the time too! And we get to eat chicken!" Hakaru chirped happily.

"Huh. Weird." Jin wondered if he'd never heard of a holiday like it because he had grown up in such a tiny, rural town that it hadn't become a holiday there yet, or if it was because he was always out on missions around this time of year, more than usual. He was inclined to believe that it was a little of both. Hontenkai had always celebrated winter festivals, but he hadn't always been able to attend. "Well, I hope you have a good time with them. I've got something I need to discuss with Tsunade-hime today, anyway, and she's been refusing to visit me."

Hakaru blinked. "Oh. Okay." He replied, tipping his head to the side slightly. "Whaa...maybe we could hang out a little after that, and I can go hang out with Sakura-chan and everyone after that. I missed you!"

Jin laughed softly. "I missed you, too. Of course we can hang out after I'm done talking to Tsunade-hime. I'd love that. Where are Runa-hime and Chikara-sama?" While Runa and Chikara were his younger siblings, he didn't think he deserved to be able to refer to them in the same way he referred to Hakaru, especially since he hadn't protected them from their parents as he should have.

"Uwha? Yui-chan has been taking care of them and so has Kakashi-chan. They think it's fun switching back and forth between houses! Runa-chan is still running into the doorframes, though. Kakashi-chan said she doesn't have any depth perception since she's lost her eye. Chikara-chan is still really quiet."

"Thank you for looking out for them, Hakaru-chan. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure it means a lot to them, too." Jin ruffled his hair gently.

Hakaru beamed, a bright grin on his face and his chest puffing out proudly. "I've always wanted a little brother and a little sister! I'm happy to help!"

"You're too sweet. Okay, run along now. I'm going to visit Tsunade-hime. I'll meet you back at home...I mean, back at Kakashi's, alright?" Jin couldn't help but go a bit red when he realized that he'd referred to Kakashi's place as 'home.'

"Mm! Bye-bye! See ya!" Hakaru waved and whipped around, sprinting off. He vanished from sight, and soon after, Jin turned and began making his way to where he was certain Tsunade would be this time of day.

Too early to sneak out of her paperwork to some bar, Tsunade would be in her office, hiding the sake she was drinking from Shizune as she reluctantly worked on her paperwork. He just hoped she wouldn't be irritated at him for asking a favor of her.

Snow and ice crunched beneath Jin's feet as he limped along slowly through the village. He hadn't realized that Konoha could get so cold, and it made him strangely happy. Growing up in Hontenkai, he had learned to love the snow and cold.

While most people saw winter and the icy chill that came with it as the worst season, Jin loved and understood it. It was most often seen to represent death or hardship, but Jin saw it for what it truly was; it was a season for nature to rest, without which spring would not be appreciated as the season of new life that it was.

Needless to say, Jin was happy that winters in Konoha included snow. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the warm, sunny days in Konoha had taken their toll on him. It was mostly because he hadn't adjusted properly yet, but perhaps also a drawback of his kekkei genkai. After all, he didn't know much about his kekkei genkai except what he had figured out by accident or worked out on his own.

Jin pushed through the doors and headed to Tsunade's office, not realizing until he felt the heat inside the building that he wasn't wearing any clothing proper for the season, and was shivering because of it. He figured that he would have to go back to Kakashi's for his winter gear before spending some time with Hakaru.

He took his time going up to Tsunade's office, not wanting to strain his leg when he had just been discharged from the hospital. The last thing he wanted was to end up back there with the nurses scolding him for being reckless.

When he knocked on the door, it was a few moments before Tsunade called for him to enter. He pushed the door open, closing it behind him, and limped in, plopping down in a chair so that he could rest his leg.

"Nice to see you, Tsunade-hime." Jin greeted.

"You should be using crutches." Tsunade stared at him disapprovingly, a scowl on her deceivingly youthful face. "Have you come to explain yourself?"

"Nope. That topic is closed. I _do_ have something to discuss with you, though. It would be beneficial to you, and a bit of a favor to me." Jin smiled stiffly.

"Oh, and what's that?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow and watched Jin curiously.

"I want to take Uchiha-sama with me to train with the shinobi of the Mist. I can have the curse seal he has removed there. I know someone who can get rid of it for a price, and Uchiha-sama would be safe there. Orochimaru would not be able be able to touch him there. I have a friend who would help me watch over him. I figured I should ask you first before taking him with me." Jin leaned back in the chair and watch her for several moments.

"You figured right. This is not a decision I alone can make. The council will have to be involved with this decision." Tsunade watched him for several moments. "What makes you think you can keep him out of Orochimaru's hands?"

"Kita Kaze will be helping me keep an eye on him. I have already discussed it with her. She's the strongest kunoichi you'll find in Water Country right now, other than Terumi Mei herself." Jin replied confidently.

"I've heard rumors of this Kita Kaze, but I thought they were a man? Will the Uchiha be safe around them?" Tsunade reached under her desk and retrieved a half empty bottle of sake, taking a large swig.

"Ah, no one really knows Kita Kaze's identity, so your guess is as good as mine. But Kita Kaze is completely trustworthy. I can promise you that." Jin replied. "She may be a monster, but that's what makes her so efficient and dangerous. No one is coming after Uchiha-sama if he's under Kita Kaze's watch."

"I see…" Tsunade considered it for a moment. "I will have to take it up with the council, and I'm not sure they'll be open to the idea of one of the last Uchiha remaining leaving the village for an extremely extended period of time. They may want something to hold as collateral to make certain that he'll return, since you are a shinobi of another country."

"I understand." Jin nodded. "Please, speak with them. If they want collateral, I'll give them pretty much whatever they want. I want to make sure that Uchiha-sama is not in danger, and I also made a promise to him." He took another moment before speaking again. "And no matter what their answer is, I'll be taking him with me. He's already made his decision, and I'd like to make sure he doesn't fall too far."

"Jin." Tsunade stared at him, still frowning. "I'll talk to the council. Don't do anything stupid."

"Can't make any promises." Jin grinned and carefully got up. "Let me know when you get their decision. Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying the weather and getting to know Runa-hime and Chikara-sama. I'll also need to speak to you about them soon, but that can wait. See ya!"

He didn't wait for an answer, instead making his way out. He paused when Tsunade called out to him.

"We're going to have to have a serious conversation later, but for now...rest and recover. Enjoy yourself. I fear we may not have many more chances like this in the future." She said, stowing away her sake bottle so Shizune wouldn't see it when she showed up again.

Jin waved to show that he'd heard and continued on.

* * *

Dressed up in winter clothes, Jin went to the door where Hakaru was waiting with Runa and Chikara. He smiled gently at them and hesitantly ruffled their hair. "Are you guys ready to go?"

He was taking them all out for a little bit of shopping before Hakaru went to hang out with Sakura and the others. It would give him a chance to get to know Runa and Chikara a little better, and also a chance to show them the better life that they would be living from now on.

Each of them nodded their heads, though only Hakaru had a really bright smile. He hoped that soon enough Runa and Chikara would be able to smile just as brightly.

"Mhm!" Runa chirped happily, reaching up and grabbing Chikara's hand with her own. "Yup yup!" It seemed that she had gained more spirit during the time that Jin had been hospitalized. Yui, Hakaru, and Kakashi must be a good influence on them, he thought.

"Awesome." Jin opened the door and limped out carefully. A chilly breeze stung his face, but the sky remained clear and the sun high in the sky.

Making sure that they all kept up, Jin led them to the marketplace, hampered only by his healing leg and the thick layer of snow on the ground. He felt as if nothing could bring him down today.

"Can we have some dango?" Runa asked sweetly, letting go of Chikara's hand to clutch at Jin's hand with both hers. She looked up at him and pouted.

"Of course." Jin couldn't help but smile. "This way."

Once he had made his way over to the nearby dango shop, Jin paid for four sticks of the sweet dumplings and handed one to each of his siblings and keeping the last one for himself.

While they all munched on their dango, Jin took them into a little kimono shop. He knew that Yui had done a little shopping for them already, but Jin wanted them to have some more formal clothes for festivals and the like. He was certain that his parents had never gifted them with any clothes for such occasions.

"You guys can pick out whatever fabric you want, but let me see it first. I figure that you guys need some formal wear, and this is the best place I could find to have it tailored for you." Jin patted their heads and leaned against the wall while Runa bounced around in search of the most garish fabric she could find, followed closely by Hakaru.

Chikara, however, stayed by his side quietly. It was several long moments before he finally spoke, and when he did, his voice was quiet as the gentle pitter-patter of a soft rain.

"Are you going to make me go back to one of those places?"

Jin blinked and glanced down at him and blinked. "One of what places?" He asked softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "If you mean back to those pathetic excuses for parents, no, you're not going back there."

That made him relax for a moment, and then he tensed back up again. "No. Not there. The places where mom works." He looked down at the ground, too ashamed to meet anyone's eyes.

The moment those words came from his mouth, Jin stiffened. He stared down at his little brother for a moment before setting the bare dango stick down. He carefully leaned down and lifted Chikara into his arms, wincing at the strain it put on his healing leg.

"No. You're never going back there. Trust me." Jin held him close gently. "Look at me." He waited patiently until Chikara looked at him, blinking his large eyes to keep from crying. "Chikara-sama, you're safe now. You're never going to that kind of place again. I won't let it happen."

Chikara hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly and snuggling into Jin as if he were a much smaller child than he was. "Okay."

Jin held him, even though he was rather heavy, shifting his weight onto his good leg so as not to strain the other. It would have to do for now because he could tell that Chikara didn't want to be put down. "Runa-hime, pick out a pretty fabric for Chikara-sama for me, okay?" He called gently.

Runa peeked out from behind a rack of hanging fabrics and nodded rapidly. "Okay." She disappeared again behind the rack of fabric.

Hakaru and Runa were gone for a while after that, and when they returned, their arms were full with fabric. Far more fabric than Jin had expected them to pick out together.

"You guys finished?" Jin asked, unable to hide his smile. "If you are, let's go talk to that nice lady over there and she'll measure you guys, okay?"

Carefully, he led the other two over to the counter where a dark haired woman was meticulously cutting bolts of fabric for whatever her current project was. She glanced up when they approached, offering them a smile.

"New customers? Have you found the fabric you're looking for? We can special order whatever we don't have here." She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and set down her shears and dusted off her dress, knocking off a nametag that read 'Fumiko' by accident.

"Ah, yes, we've found everything we need. Thank you." Jin replied, helping Hakaru and Runa put their bolts of fabric onto the counter while Fumiko reached down to retrieve her fallen nametag.

"Perfect. Are you just buying these bolts? If so, we also sell patterns for many traditional formal wear from different parts of the world. If not, I can take your measurements and have them tailored to your needs." Fumiko spoke briskly, her violet eyes meeting Jin's.

"We'd like to have these tailored, if it's not too much trouble. Runa-hime, you can be measured first, if you'd like." Jin smiled down at her as she scurried around the counter and stared up at Fumiko with her one wide eye.

Fumiko took the sight of Runa's missing eye in strides, hardly missing a beat. "Hold your arms out and stand very still for me, okay?" She retrieved her measuring tape from a drawer under the counter and began taking Runa's measurements with a practiced hand.

When she was done, Fumiko handed Runa a piece of candy and shooed her around the counter again. Jin took that as his cue to put Chikara down, and walked with him behind the counter. He held his hand comfortingly and smiled while Fumiko began measuring him.

She was finished with him just as quickly as she had been with Runa. With a smile, she plopped a candy into his free hand. "Thank you so much for sitting still."

Chikara nodded slightly, not meeting her eyes. He shifted closer to Jin and squeezed his hand, as if he were unsure of how to respond to her.

"Thank you." Jin said, smiling sheepishly.

"Of course." Fumiko wrote up the bill and handed it to Jin. "These should be ready in a week. I'll send a message when they've finished...I'm sorry, what was your name?"

Jin looked over the bill and retrieved what he owed for her. "Oh, my name is Shiraishi Jin. It's very nice to meet you." As he passed it over, he didn't notice the shocked expression cross her face and then quickly vanish.

"It's very nice to meet you, too. Thank you for your business." Fumiko turned away, bundling up the bolts of fabric in her arms carefully. "I'll get started on these right away."

Jin blinked, wondering what had suddenly changed. She seemed colder to him now, but he wasn't sure why. Shaking his head, he watched her disappear into the back room.

Pushing his curiosity away, he led his little siblings back outside. He was intent on showing them all a good time today.

* * *

"'Sup, Kuraokami?" A short woman marched right up to the intimidating dragon and grinned right up at him. She tipped her head to the side, hair as blinding as the sun covering her eyes. "Been awhile, huh?"

The dragon god heaved a sigh and raised his eyes to the heavens, wondering what he had done to deserve a visit by this menace. "Why are you here, Amaterasu? Is Tsukuyomi here, too? And why are you talking so ridiculously?"

Right as he finished speaking, a tall woman appeared out of the mist and went to stand by Amaterasu silently. She gave Kuraokami a brief nod and took Amaterasu's hand in her own.

"Get with the times, _ojii-san!_ Maybe if you got out every once in a while, you'd talk like we do!" Amaterasu laughed and playfully smacked Kuraokami's muzzle.

"...since when do _we_ talk like that? I think that it may just be you, my sun." The taller woman spoke finally, her voice soft. She leaned down and gave Amaterasu a swift kiss.

As she always did when Tsukuyomi kissed her, Amaterasu blushed and went quiet. "Oh, quit that." She huffed and reached up, tucking a piece of moon-silver hair behind Tsukuyomi's ear gently.

Kuraokami snorted impatiently. "Why are you here? I don't have the patience to deal with you."

Amaterasu faced Kuraokami again, this time her expression growing grave. "We're here because we wanted to tell you what we're going to do before doing it this time. It sort of pertains to you."

"What?" Kuraokami shifted closer, expelling frosty breath against their faces.

"We are going to right the wrongs that have been done to certain children of yours." Tsukuyomi spoke softly.

A soft snarl escaped the dragon god's scaly lips. "There's no way you can fix what's been broken."

"Perhaps not in the way you want, but action must be taken. Do you expect me to just sit and watch what I've seen unfold without doing anything to even try to stop it? Do you seriously expect me to abandon those we watch over to such a cruel fate? Righting some of the wrongs that have been done will do that!" Amaterasu put her hands on her hips and glared up at the dragon.

Tsukuyomi put a gentle hand on her lover's shoulder to soothe her anger. "Forgive me, Kuraokami, but I agree with Amaterasu."

"Those vermin are not worth saving!" Kuraokami roared, knocking Amaterasu to the ground aggressively with one enormous claw.

A burst of heat emanated from Amaterasu as she landed on her backside with a painful 'thump.' Her eyes began to glow faintly, and she stared at Kuraokami with all the heat of a hot, summer sun. "You don't get to decide that. You haven't been watching them as closely as we have. You haven't lived with them. You haven't seen the force of their emotions!"

"I have seen their hatred, and that alone makes them unworthy of our protection and help!" Kuraokami roared, his glittering black scales raising much in the same way a cat's fur rose when it was angry.

"You are the one not worthy! You call yourself a god and condemn those that you are supposed to be watching over at the same time! Yukina would be disappointed in you!" Amaterasu rose to her feet slowly, only to be knocked to the ground once more with a thrash of Kuraokami's deadly tail.

"Do not presume to know me, or to know what my daughter would think! She was murdered by those monsters!" Tsukuyomi helped Amaterasu back to her feet as Kuraokami snarled at them.

"Kuraokami, please listen to what Amaterasu has to say. It's important." Tsukuyomi's voice was quiet, but understanding.

"Thank you, Tsukuyomi." Amaterasu leaned against her lover affectionately for a brief moment. "Kuraokami, I know that what you went through was terrible, but you must also think about what Yukina would want. She learned more about mortals than you will ever know. She gave her love freely, and she was loved fiercely in return. She found something in them that was worth saving, and I don't think that she would want you to turn your back on the mortals that she loved so dearly, even though they were a direct cause of her death."

Kuraokami spun around, intent on not listening to a word they had to say. "You do not know what she would want."

"Maybe I don't, but you sure as hell don't either. All I know is that there are people suffering, and that we can do something about it. Tsukuyomi and I have come up with a solution, and we came to notify you of it, not to ask for permission. I wish you would support us, but we don't _need_ you." Amaterasu turned away, snatching Tsukuyomi's hand. "Let's go. We're wasting our time here."

"Wait just a moment, please. I wish to say something." Tsukuyomi gently removed her hand from Amaterasu's and went to Kuraokami's side. She placed her hand gently on his bristling scales. "One of the mortals is very much like Yukina. Brave, selfless, loving. He would die to protect his loved ones, and if we do not act, he _will_ die, just like Yukina did. We can't change the past, but we can still change the future. This mortal carries Yukina's legacy and her lineage. He is just as much your child as she was, just as the rest of them were. You never actively interfered, only offered words of advice and trials to unlock the gifts they received from sharing yours and Yukina's blood. But now...now we have a chance to prevent the cycle from repeating over and over again. Amaterasu and I are going to take that chance because we do not wish to see these lives snuffed out like a candle. Thank you, Kuraokami, and I am sorry for the loss of your daughter. We shall take our leave now."

As Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu took their leave, Kuraokami listened to their disappearing footsteps. He was not yet ready to accept what they had told him.

* * *

As the sun began to set behind the treeline, Jin watched Hakaru run off with Sakura and the other genin he had managed to befriend. He was overjoyed that Hakaru had made so many friends here, when he had not been able to back home, in the Mist.

Alone, he turned and limped off to find something to busy himself with, snow crunching beneath his feet. He had left his little siblings with Yui, since she had promised them sweets and tv, if they wanted to spend the evening with her. They had, of course, accepted the offer, and though Jin had been offered the same deal, he had declined in favor of enjoying the gently falling snow.

He didn't really know where his feet were taking him, but he wasn't concerned with that. It was nice to think and reflect without any care for a destination sometimes. He wasn't lonely, though he wouldn't say no to some company either.

For once, Jin's mind was at peace. Konoha was beautiful in the winter, and he couldn't help but think of the possiblities that awaited him and the close friendships he had begun to form, or of how this interesting village had seemed to soothe the heartache he had felt since Raizo's untimely death.

He would never be over Raizo completely; would always love him in some form, but now he felt as if it were possible to move on from that part of his life. He didn't want to keep tormenting himself with Raizo's death, even though he wholeheartedly believed that it was his fault.

While he knew that he was trying his best to heal on his own, he also knew that he needed help. Scared as he was about asking for it, he would seek the help he needed to continue healing. After all, as nice as he was feeling now, Jin was certain that bad days would come and that when they did, he would need help overcoming them.

Even so, he couldn't help but smile at the bright future that he wanted to work towards, not only for himself, but also for those that he loved with every fiber of his being.

For a while, his thoughts wandered aimlessly, just as he did, until they settled on Kakashi. Jin didn't know why his thoughts had started turning towards the masked shinobi so often in recent days, but he found that he had a certain softness for him, found that he wanted to know more about him and who he was.

Jin was already deeply attached to Kakashi, and at this point he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. Kakashi had won his trust easily, with the kindness that he had shown him and the gentleness with which he touched him. It was the kind of gentleness that melted the remnants of Jin's previously shattered heart and lifted him up.

To say he was a sucker for people who were gentle with him would be an understatement. He naturally drifted towards those who gave him attention and kindness, and Kakashi was one such person.

Jin wasn't sure why he was hoping so much to see Kakashi this evening, or why just the thought of walking through this winter wonderland with him made him blush like a lovestruck teenager.

He didn't know why, when Kakashi came up alongside him silently, his heart skipped a beat, but it was something that he pushed aside to think about another time in favor of paying close attention to Kakashi.

"I see you've escaped." Kakashi teased, smiling beneath his mask at Jin gently. "Shouldn't you be resting, though?"

Jin couldn't help but laugh a little. "I couldn't sit still, so I wanted to enjoy the weather for a while. Hakaru-chan is having a sleepover or something with the other genin, and Runa-hime and Chikara-sama are with Takigawa-hime for the night."

"I see...but shouldn't you be using crutches, at least?" Kakashi watched him curiously, but without judgement of any sort.

"No, I'll be fine. It doesn't hurt as much as it did before, so I think it'll be fine." Jin offered Kakashi a smile and nudged him with his elbow. "Tsunade-hime took good care of me."

"If you're sure." Kakashi replied, though Jin noticed that he kept a close eye on him.

"Yes, I'm sure." Jin smiled a little more, and the pair sank into a comfortable silence.

As the moon rose overhead, the pair walked slowly around the village together, content just to be in each other's presence.

Relaxed, Jin began to notice for the first time how unguarded he was in Kakashi's presence. He wasn't sure what made him drop his guard completely in his presence, but he felt a sense of security in it. Perhaps knowing that Kakashi had his back was enough for him to relax like that.

"Ah, Kakashi, I know something that we could do, if you'd like." Jin spoke suddenly, remembering how neither of them had had the chance to really ice skate together as he had wanted to do. This time, there wouldn't be any interruptions, and Jin would be able to focus solely on Kakashi, rather than dividing it up among those he had taken to the Land of Water with him.

"Sure, what is it?" Kakashi asked softly, glancing at him.

As the moon rose higher in the sky, shopkeepers began to light the colorful lanterns they had hung outside their shops for the cold season. The light reflected off the pure snow like a kaleidoscope, its beauty preventing Jin from speaking for a moment.

"Oh, I'll tell you what we'll be doing when we get there. Can you take us to the nearest lake or pond?" Jin asked, glancing around to look at all the lanterns and the patterns they left on the crystalline snow.

"The closest one is still quite a ways away. Do you think your leg can handle it?" Kakashi asked, looking as if he already had a place in mind.

Jin thought about it for a moment, then let out a small sigh. Ice skating on his leg wouldn't be smart anyway, even if he could manage to make it out to whatever place Kakashi had in mind. "Probably not. Instead, do you know of a spot that's got a big hill?" Thankfully, he had a backup plan.

Kakashi tipped his head, but nodded. "Yes, that spot's closer." Curiosity shone in his eye, but instead of questioning him, he steered Jin in the direction of the training grounds.

It didn't take long to reach a tall hill that Jin thought was absolutely perfect for what he had planned. He let Kakashi help him up to the top of the hill, knowing that he would struggle more without Kakashi's helping hand.

Once at the top, they stopped to take a break. The view was spectacular; snow drifting lazily from the sky, the full moon shining brilliantly through the shallow clouds. The lights of the village were far enough away for the stars to be easily visible even behind the wispy clouds.

Jin leaned over carefully, putting his hands close to the ground. Exerting a small amount of chakra, he formed an ornate sled big enough for the pair of them. Once he was done with that, he straightened up, leaning on his good leg.

"I thought you might like to go sledding. My original plan was to teach you how to ice skate, since I didn't have a chance when we were at my home village, but I don't think my leg can take that kind of strain right now. So, I thought that sledding would be a nice compromise until my leg heals…" Jin offered Kakashi a hesitant smile, but soon looked away, wondering why his cheeks were burning so much now.

"Of course." Kakashi accepted immediately, offering Jin a smile from beneath his mask. He gently took Jin by the wrist and helped him sit down on the icy sled, helping him tuck his injured leg in front of him. Then he carefully nudged the sled closer to the slope the hill. Once it began to slide on its own, he hopped onto the sled behind Jin, wrapping his arms securely around his waist.

They soared down the hill, wind whipping their hair around as they picked up speed. Jin couldn't help but laugh and lean back against Kakashi. In reply, Kakashi's arms tightened slightly around his waist.

However, once they reached the bottom of the hill, they ended up speeding into a snowdrift. The sled tipped forward sharply as it collided, sending both Jin and Kakashi sprawling into the snow.

Jin landed on his back, his fall cushioned by the powdery snow on the ground. Kakashi, on the other hand, landed face first on top of Jin. Jin gasped as the breath was knocked out of him.

Kakashi immediately sat up, untangling his limbs from Jin's. "Are you alright?" He asked, concern coloring his voice. He reached down and very delicately lifted Jin's leg to make sure that he hadn't caused any further damage to the limb.

Carefully, Jin pushed himself up from the ground. "I think I'm okay…" He replied as a sharp jolt of pain bolted up his wounded leg. "Don't think I did anymore damage."

"Good, but I don't think we should do anymore sledding now…" Kakashi gently rested Jin's leg back down in the snow with a sigh. "Besides, you look rather cold. Your face is red." He reached over and gently dusted snow off of Jin's cheek.

Jin couldn't help but pout. "Aw, fine." He watched Kakashi get up and took his hand when it was offered, allowing Kakashi to pull him up off the ground.

Once steady on his feet, Jin allowed Kakashi to guide him back up the hill. It was slow going, and once Jin got about halfway up, he slipped on a patch of ice.

Kakashi caught him and yanked him back up on his feet before he could tumble down the hill again. He clasped Jin's hand with his own and pulled Jin the rest of the way up the hill. He didn't let go, even when they had reached the top of the hill again.

Jin glanced down at their linked hands as Kakashi kept guiding him back towards the village. "You're still holding my hand." He said softly, though some part of him did not want Kakashi to let go.

"I don't want you to slip again." Kakashi said, showing no sign of releasing Jin's hand. "You're shivering. How about we go get something to eat and warm up?" He paused, letting go of Jin's hand briefly to take off the scarf he'd donned for the cold weather and wrapped it around Jin's neck, pulling it snug. Then he took Jin's hand again and pulled him along.

When they had reached the main village again, Kakashi pulled Jin into a restaurant renowned for its spectacular food. However, it was pricey. "Ah, Kakashi, this place is a little expensive. We can go somewhere else instead."

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi let the host take them to a two-person table on the second floor.

It was a window seat overlooking the village. The lighting was low, and they appeared to be the only two on the second floor of the restaurant.

Jin sat down, keeping his gaze averted as Kakashi took his seat across from him. He looked out the window as the host placed menus down in front of them. He waited until the host left before speaking.

"You really didn't have to bring me to such a nice restaurant. I'm really not dressed for it, and it's expensive, and…" Jin rambled nervously, unable to help the way his cheeks warmed.

"Jin, don't worry about it. I don't mind." Kakashi chuckled softly, watching Jin.

Jin glanced at him hesitantly, startled by the softness in his gaze. "Are...are you really sure?" He averted his gaze again, reaching up and playing with the ends of Kakashi's scarf.

"Yes, I'm really sure. I thought you might like somewhere a little quieter." Kakashi turned his gaze to the menu, glad that his students would never think to look for him here. After all, as much as he adored and cared for them, it was incredibly tiring to be around them sometimes. It was different with Jin; he was calm and kind, and tended to have less drama than three thirteen year olds. He didn't mind Jin's presence in the slightest.

"Ah, yes I suppose I do like quiet places like this…" Jin couldn't help the smile that was forming on his face.

There was something about Jin that made Kakashi want to let down his guard, to relax. He didn't know if it was because Jin was so open and trusting with him now, or what. It was, however, something that was unfamiliar and strange to him. He never completely let his guard down, Jin's presence made him want to change that for some unfathomable reason. Perhaps it was because Jin had trusted him enough to let himself be vulnerable around him.

He kept an eye on Jin, studying the way he fidgeted and plucked at the ends of the scarf. Kakashi's gaze was drawn to Jin's wrist, wrapped in a thin, fabric brace to keep it steady while it healed. Then it was drawn to his left cheek, where Ran had left deep wounds with her clawed gloves. They had mostly healed by now, but remained pink and angry looking. With time, they would heal and become less obvious, he knew, but...it angered him for a reason that he could not define that Ran had scarred his beautiful face. Of course, Jin would always be beautiful in that sort of ethereal way that very few people could manage to pull off.

Kakashi blinked, staring at the menu now and realizing that he hadn't read a single item on it. He wondered why his thoughts had been so consumed by Jin, scratching at the corner of the menu absentmindedly.

On the other side of the table, Jin kept picking at the scarf, his eyes glued to the menu. It was difficult for him to focus on actually reading it when he couldn't draw his thoughts away from Kakashi and the way his hand had felt in his own. He couldn't draw his thoughts of the way Kakashi kept looking at him. It made him feel something that he wasn't sure he'd ever really felt before; shy.

Having worked as a courtesan in between his shinobi duties for much of his life, JIn was unaccustomed to feeling shy. After all, what was the point of being shy when so many strangers had seen him in ways he wished they hadn't. It kind of made shyness something that he had grown out of. Even with Raizo, he'd never been shy with him. Jin wondered what was different now.

Most of all, Jin wondered why he cared so much about what Kakashi thought of him. He tried not to concerned with what other people thought of him because their opinions often were negative. It didn't do well to dwell on what people thought of him, but he couldn't help but worry that perhaps Kakashi didn't think well of him.

That was ridiculous, though, wasn't it? Kakashi had taken him to a really nice restaurant, had bandaged his wounds when Jin couldn't bandage them himself, had calmed him down when he'd been in an absolute panic. If Kakashi didn't think very well of him, why would he have done those things? Even with those rational thoughts, anxiety couldn't help but make him fear that perhaps Kakashi was doing all of this out of pity or something of the like.

"Have you decided what you'd like to order, or would you like some more time?" Jin was startled out of his reverie by the waiter's return.

Jin glanced at Kakashi, who had set his menu down, and then nodded slightly. "I think we're ready…" He mumbled, taking a moment to clear his throat. "I'd like the kitsune udon, please."

"And I'd like the shiro miso soup, please." Kakashi replied, handing his menu to the waiter. Jin quickly followed suit, avoiding eye contact to hide his embarrassment about forgetting to hand his menu to the waiter.

"Very well, we'll have your food ready shortly. Is there anything I can get you to drink in the meantime?" The waiter took the menus and tucked them under his arm while he wrote down their orders.

"I'd like some matcha tea, if you serve it." Jin replied after a moment's thought.

"I'll just have some water." Kakashi answered.

"Certainly. We'll have that for you in just a moment." The waiter turned and left, once again leaving the pair alone.

Jin looked out the window and smiled faintly as flurries of snow drifted along with the wind outside. Watching the fluffy snowflakes swirl around with the wind as if they were some sort fantastical creature soothed his nerves.

For some strange reason, Jin had the overwhelming urge to spill all the secrets he'd been keeping for such a long time. They festered in his heart, making his skin crawl when he was reminded of them. He was certain that he could trust Kakashi with the secrets he guarded like a dragon guarded its hoard. They were secrets that he had not even been able to whisper to Raizo; secrets that he was certain he would take with him to the grave.

Deciding that this was not the time, nor the place, for that sort of conversation, Jin turned his attention back to Kakashi and offered him a gentle smile. "Thank you for spending the evening with me. It's been really nice." Setting his elbow on the table, he rested his cheek on his palm. He could stare at Kakashi all day and be content.

"Ah, it's no problem. I figured that this would be a good place to get a break from my students, too. I'm sure they're running around causing havoc, and it's a nice change to be here, instead of wrangling them in." Kakashi didn't mean any offense towards his students, of course; it was just that it was exhausting dealing with three different personalities that often clashed. And though he didn't want to admit it, he liked that Jin's attention was focused solely on him now.

"I agree. It's really nice to be here…" Jin couldn't help but continue watching Kakashi, his other hand rising up to pluck at his scarf once more as his nervousness returned. It seemed that his shyness really wasn't going to go away.

They drifted into a comfortable silence until the waiter returned with Kakashi's water and Jin's matcha tea. Just as quickly as he had appeared, their waiter vanished once more. Jin didn't mind at all that they were alone again. He rather enjoyed the privacy they were given, even if it was just spent in comfortable silence.

Even though he was enjoying the calm atmosphere, Jin knew that he needed to ask Kakashi a favor that he could not ask in front of Hakaru or his newfound siblings. A soft sigh escaped his lips, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment.

"Kakashi, can I ask you a favor? It...it's important." Jin glanced out the window, lifting his cheek from the palm of his hand. The smile on his face faded as he thought about how to ask Kakashi what he needed.

Noticing the seriousness of Jin's expression, Kakashi frowned beneath his mask. "What is it? If...if you need help with something, I'll do what I can."

"Soon enough, I'm going to have to return home to the Mist for a while, but…" Jin let out a heavy sigh and rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'll be blunt; I don't want to take Hakaru, or Chikara and Runa back with me. It's not safe there for them, but...it's safe here. I'm not asking you to take care of them or anything. I've got someone in mind for that, but...would you mind keep an eye on them to make sure they're safe?"

Kakashi watched Jin for a moment, his eye widening just slightly. He was startled that Jin trusted him enough to leave three of his precious people in his hands. How could he refuse when Jin was so willing to put his trust in him? "Of course." He replied after a moment's hesitation.

Jin's smile reappeared as relief washed over him. He reached out, picking up the teacup delicately and taking a sip of his tea. "Thank you. I really appreciate it." Heart lighter with reassurance that his little siblings would be safe, he was able to relax again.

It wasn't long before the waiter brought their food, setting the steaming bowls in front of their respective diners. Jin and Kakashi both thanked the waiter and watched as he left shortly thereafter to tend to the needs of other diners on the first floor.

Jin focused on his food as Kakashi pulled down his mask to eat, not wanting to invade his privacy by looking up at his face without permission. Though he had already seen Kakashi's handsome face once, he didn't want to push his boundaries.

"Jin, you don't have to avoid looking at me…" Kakashi's voice was hesitant, and Jin realized that he was putting a measure of trust in him, just as he had entrusted the wellbeing of his siblings to him.

The fact that Kakashi was trusting him like this made Jin's heart soar, and he looked up at him slowly. Same as the first time Jin had seen his face, Kakashi was remarkably attractive. From his beauty mark to the way his scar peeked out from under his headband to his silver hair that always looked as if Kakashi had forgotten to brush it after getting out of bed. However, it was his stormy grey eye that had him captivated.

It was strange the way that Kakashi's gaze seemed to soften when he watched Jin. It made him feel safe, like nothing would be able to hurt him so long as Kakashi looked at him with that same gentleness. Jin really liked how Kakashi looked at him, his heart skipping a beat.

Realizing the direction his thoughts were headed, Jin hastily looked down at his food and busied himself with eating. Heat rose in his cheeks as his embarrassment grew.

What was the matter with him? What the hell had changed? Jin couldn't figure out what had changed, or if he was just imagining that something had changed. Whatever it was, Jin couldn't get rid of his embarrassment.

The pair ate in silence, neither speaking a word to the other. It wasn't uncomfortable or anything of the like, but it _was_ giving Jin too much time to overthink things, and that was almost never a good thing.

The waiter appeared out of nowhere once they had finished, bringing them their check. It appeared that the restaurant was closing early, otherwise they would have been offered a dessert of some sort.

Jin stuffed his hands in his pockets, reaching around for the money he kept on hand, but Kakashi beat him to the punch, paying the waiter before he could find his money.

"You didn't have to do that…" Jin trailed off, realizing that there was no point in protesting. After all, it was too late. Next time, however, he would be faster so that he could pay the bill.

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi replied, getting up and going around to Jin's side. Gently, he helped him stand, making sure not to cause any pain to him.

Unfortunately for Jin, his leg had stiffened in the time that they had been seated, and a sharp jab of pain shot up his leg. He leaned against Kakashi, gathering his bearings for a moment.

"Jin? Are you okay?" Kakashi's voice was soft as he kept Jin from falling.

"Yes, I'm okay. Leg just stiffened up." Slowly, Jin stretched out his leg, hissing faintly as another sharp pain scorched up. He closed his eyes for a moment as he stretched, biting his lip until the pain faded back to a dull ache that he could tolerate.

"We should get you home to rest. You shouldn't be on your leg so much...you just got out of the hospital today…" Kakashi realized that he probably should've taken Jin home earlier, and hoped that Tsunade wouldn't find out about Jin being out and about all day on the same day he got out of the hospital.

"But I don't wanna…" Jin protested weakly, sticking out his lower lip in a faint pout. "I'll be bored…"

"Jin, I'm sure we can find something to do at home...you need to stay off your leg." Kakashi said with a small smile.

"Fine…" Jin puffed his cheeks out, and then smiled. "Actually first, I wanna take a picture with you."

He dug around in his pocket as Kakashi led him out of the restaurant, retrieving his polaroid camera. Though Jin knew it was silly of him to suddenly get back into taking pictures, he wanted to document every moment that he was happy. He also wanted to be able to look back at happy memories when he was at his low points.

After Raizo's death, he had completely stopped taking pictures. He hadn't been able to wrap his mind around the idea of a life without Raizo for a long time, and he hadn't felt that a life without Raizo would be worth documenting anyway. He wasn't sure what had changed now, but he wanted to document just about everything.

Kakashi helped Jin down the stairs and out of the restaurant, making sure that he wouldn't fall. He stopped once they were outside, turning to gently tighten the scarf around Jin's neck so that he wouldn't feel the chill as much.

Jin couldn't keep his face from turning red as he fiddled with his camera. Once Kakashi had finished, Jin looked up at him and smiled.

Linking arms with him, Jin pulled Kakashi in close, and held the camera at arms-length. Cheeks squashed together, he snapped the photo and waited until his camera dispensed the photo. He retrieved the picture and shook it until the ink set.

"One more, Kakashi!" Jin said, squashing his cheek back against Kakashi's again. He grinned, holding out the camera, and snapped the picture. He repeated the same process as with the first picture, and handed one to Kakashi. "There we go. One for you, and one for me." He handed Kakashi one of the pictures and tucked the other into his pocket, unable to hide his smile.

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, heat rising to his cheeks. "Thank you." He said softly, tucking the picture away safely. He looked at Jin, studying him for a moment before carefully leading him out onto the street, keeping their arms linked.

They took their time walking home, enjoying the quiet of the deserted streets and the snowflakes floating down on them lazily. It was peaceful, and somehow more beautiful than when it snowed at home. Jin didn't understand how snow could be so much more beautiful here than it was at home.

Halfway home, Jin made Kakashi stop so that they could go into a sweets shop that he'd spotted. He quickly limped up to the door, pulling Kakashi along with him.

Glancing up at the lit 'open' sign, Jin froze at the sight of a sprig of green leaves that Hakaru had told him about earlier today. He couldn't remember what Hakaru had called them, but he remembered being told that they were imported specially this time of year and if you were caught under it with someone, you had to kiss that person. Hakaru had mentioned that it was such an important tradition that if you didn't follow it, you would be punished harshly for it. Jin didn't quite believe that, knowing that Hakaru had a habit of exaggerating things a little too much.

Kakashi followed Jin's gaze, his eye widening just slightly. Well, this was certainly an interesting turn of events, wasn't it? He glanced back at Jin, studying his blushing face.

"You don't have to kiss me. It's a silly thing that caught on several years ago…" Kakashi trailed off, averting his eyes. He was happy that his mask covered the majority of his blush, because this was...very embarrassing to say the least.

It took a moment for Jin to find the right words. "I don't mind." He looked away, feeling almost insecure. "When I came here, I also wanted to learn about the different traditions. If this is one of the traditions that's followed here, then...I suppose that I'd like to experience it. And...I think...I think I'd prefer to experience a tradition like this with someone I can trust." He glanced back at Kakashi for a moment, flashing him a shy smile. "I know you won't take advantage of me."

The way Jin said that left Kakashi wondering how he could be so cute, and then left him wondering why he was thinking that Jin was cute. How could he deny Jin when he was saying it so shyly. It was also true that it would be better for him to kiss Jin rather than someone who might try to take advantage of the situation.

"If you're okay with that…" Kakashi replied after a moment's hesitation. However, he didn't make a move, as if he was still worried about crossing Jin's boundaries.

Jin made the first move, reaching up with both hands and gently placing them on Kakashi's cheeks. Very slowly, he took the edges of Kakashi's mask between his fingers and pulled it down.

His cheeks burned and his heart raced as he slowly leaned in for the kiss. He kept his hands on Kakashi's equally warm cheeks to keep others from catching sight of his face. It wouldn't do to have his students catch Kakashi off guard like this.

Their noses bumped as Jin forgot to tip his head in his nervousness, and he couldn't help but let out a little laugh. "Sorry." He whispered, tipping his head.

Jin's chapped lips met Kakashi's equally chapped lips in a soft kiss. He felt as if his heart were about to burst in his chest, but...it wasn't necessarily a bad feeling.

After only a moment's hesitation, Kakashi returned the kiss, his hands coming up to gently cup Jin's face.

Though he didn't want to admit it, this was probably the most romantically Jin had been kissed. He felt as if the ice around the remnants of his shattered heart was melting for the first time in a long time.

The way Kakashi held his face as if he were the most fragile thing in the world, as if he were afraid of hurting him, only added to the way his heart softened.

Jin leaned into Kakashi, relaxed, until he remembered that this was just supposed to be a quick kiss as tradition. He pulled away slowly, averting his eyes.

He couldn't wipe the stupid smile off his face, as he pulled Kakashi's mask back up over his face gently.

"Come on. Let's get you your sweets." Kakashi said after a moment, avoiding eye contact, though it appeared that he, too, couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

For the rest of the night, Jin couldn't stop smiling.

* * *

 **Author's Note: This chapter is very late, I know, and I'm so sorry about it! An accumulation of stress and anxiety made it difficult for me to do much writing because I had to tell my family that I was dropping out of college. Anyway, things are a bit better now, and hopefully I'll be able to get back into a normal writing and posting schedule. I hope the fluff in this chapter will make up for the absence of any updates for the last two and half months or so.**

 **Now that I've had a chance to realize what month it is, I've noticed that it's been a whole year (and some days) since I posted the prologue to this story, and honestly I'm amazed that it's gotten so long (approximately 150k words)! I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such wonderful readers and reviewers and that every comment you leave or favorite/follow you leave makes my week, and I really appreciate it! So, thank you so much, I adore you guys!**

 **Now, on to other things:**

 **Guest: Oh my gosh, I'm so happy you love Hakaru so much! He really is a sweetheart, and I adore him! There will definitely be much more of him in the coming chapters!**

 **Frost D. Zen: I'm so glad you like the story so far, and I'm so sorry that it has taken so long to get this chapter out! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!**

 **Okay! Once again, thank you all so much for being such great readers! I really appreciate it, and hope you'll enjoy this chapter! I plan on having the next chapter out in a more timely manner! Thanks again!**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

"So, wait...what you're telling me, Tsunade-hime, is that the council wishes to see Kita Kaze in person?" Jin crossed his arms, frowning.

A week had passed since Jin had left the hospital, and Tsunade had received the elder's decision regarding Jin's offer to protect Sasuke. It was not what he had hoped, but it certainly could have been much worse. Of course, getting Kita Kaze here would be no easy feat, and would result in some interesting theatrics.

"Yes. They'll make their final decision then. Bring Kita Kaze here. Within the week." Tsunade stared at him hard. "And stay off your damn leg."

Jin scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I got it…I'll get them here, but...just be prepared. A couple of other hunter nin will be accompanying Kita Kaze, so that you'll be able to communicate and...so that if they lose their temper there will be someone to rein them in."

Tsunade reached under her desk for her sake. "That bad?"

"Yes. They lost all sense of control when their partner was killed. It's better to, uh, take precautions." Jin replied, sheepishly avoiding eye contact. "I should also warn you, that I won't be able to be there when they arrive."

"Why not?" Tsunade took a large gulp of her sake, narrowing her eyes at him. "You're the one who promised Kita Kaze would help you keep Sasuke safe."

"Because I was incredibly stupid. I promised Kita Kaze a spar the next time we met, and I'm not exactly in a condition to do that." Jin refused to look her in the eye, chewing at his lip as he did so.

"You are incredibly stupid." Tsunade let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Go away."

Jin waved and turned away, limping out of her office. He made his way back to Kakashi's place, already thinking up a plan. A week was a bit short notice, but...it would be fine. He would make everything work out fine. The most pressing issue would be something that Hakaru would have to help him take care of.

Before long, Jin made it home. He limped up the steps, retrieving the spare key Kakashi had given him not too long ago.

Unlocking the door, he limped inside, ducking under the random traps that Kakashi had set in case of intruders. He closed the door behind him and shuffled into the living room, where Hakaru was sprawled out on the ground in a strangely accurate imitation of a starfish. Every so often, he would wiggle his fingers or toes in a way that appeared to make sense on to him.

"Whatcha doin'?" Jin asked, limping over to the couch and plopping down right in the middle. He propped his leg up on the table and watched Hakaru with a small smile.

"I'm trying to heighten my senses. I overheard someone talking about how you can sharpen them to be even better than before! And guess what! It's working! I'm hearing much better than before! Hasn't helped my eyesight any, but that was to be expected…" Hakaru chattered on, hardly stopping to breathe.

"Hm...I'll have to try that later, then…" Jin replied when Hakaru had quieted down. "But first, would you mind helping me with some stuff?"

Hakaru was up in a moment, bowing. "Of course! Tell me! Tell me! What do you need?" He bounced excitedly, hopping closer as if he were trying to imitate a bunny of some sort.

"First, I need you to bring me the boxes I brought back with us from the Mist; the ones you were snooping through. Then I'll need you to start working on healing my leg. Kita Kaze has to be here in a week." Jin let out a heavy sigh, watching Hakaru frown.

"Oh, okay!" Hakaru vanished into the room he shared with Jin, scurrying around and picking up all the boxes so that he only had to take one trip.

Jin glanced over when Hakaru stumbled back into the room, carrying several heavy boxes in his spindly arms. "Ahh...Hakaru-chan, please be careful…"

Puffing his cheeks out in determination, Hakaru staggered over to Jin, depositing a box on either side of where he sat, and last one on his lap. He straightened up, biting his lip to try to hide that he was out of breath.

"Thanks, Hakaru-chan." Jin smiled at him gently. "Next, would you mind working on healing up my leg? I know I told you that I was supposed to let it heal naturally, but...circumstances have changed."

"Hm? Of course! What's changed, though?" Hakaru tipped his head to the side curiously. He sat on the coffee table and crossed his legs, gently lifting Jin's injured leg into his lap so that he could work on it more easily.

"Kita Kaze needs to be here in a week, and I need to be ready by then. That's why I need your help…" Jin watched Hakaru gently unwrap the bandages that protected the devastating wound that Ran had inflicted on him.

Hakaru's hands stilled for a moment, and he frowned a little. "Jin-chan, it's gonna take more than a week to repair the damage that's been done. Is there any way that you can get more time?"

"No. Unfortunately, the time frame is non-negotiable…" Jin let out a sigh and opened the box on his lap. He figured that now was as good a time as any to see what was in these boxes. Supposedly, everything in them belonged to his real father, and after what Ran had tried to bargain with when he killed her, he couldn't help but search for any sort of clue about who he was. For just a moment, he regretted killing her before she told him what she knew.

"Ah, well. Guess I'll be busy this week. I'll do as much as I can, but I doubt I'll be able to get it back to normal before Kita Kaze has to be here…" Hakaru sighed and closed his eyes, placing his hands over Jin's leg. They began to glow a soft green with his chakra.

While he worked, Jin sorted through the first box, finding nothing but old clothes until he got to the very bottom. As he reached back into the box after removing all the clothes, his hand brushed against cold metal.

Hesitantly, he picked up the metal object, realizing that it was attached to a fabric of some sort.

The fabric was dark green and thick as if reinforced against wear and tear. He turned it over in his hands and examined the metal piece attached to the fabric, freezing when he recognized the symbol etched into it.

It was a leaf, clear as day despite the deep slash crossing through it. Jin's blood ran cold as he realized that his father must have been a leaf shinobi at some point and defected before going to Water Country.

Setting the leaf headband to the side for the moment, Jin stuck his hand back in the box and felt around for anything else. He would think more about what the headband meant later.

His hand brushed against something cold, and he picked it up carefully, baffled by the way it fit near perfectly in his hand, like the hilt of a sword or kunai.

It _was_ the hilt of some sort of weapon, but the rest of the weapon seemed to be missing.

On closer inspection, it looked more like half the hilt of some sort of weapon, such as a naginata or wakizashi. It didn't seem to be made of any known metal, either, and emanated a cold that perplexed Jin. It was frosted and looked much like glass or ice, but he didn't think either of those options were likely.

He could ponder that later, though, and began to put the clothes back in the box; he kept the strange weapon and the headband out. Once he was done with that, he set that box aside and pulled one of the others onto his lap.

This next box was the same one that Yui and Hakaru had been raiding back in the Land of Water. It was full of trinkets and jewelry, scrolls and kunai.

Jin glanced up at Hakaru and watched his focused expression for several moments until the younger boy noticed.

"What's up?" Hakaru asked quietly.

Faced with the sudden realization that things could very well fall apart for him when Kita Kaze had to show up, Jin was beginning to feel melancholy. "Do you think everyone here would still like me, if I told them the truth, if I told them about everything I've done…? I...don't want to lose my friendship with them, but I know it's not fair to be keeping so much from them. I know it's not fair to let them keep thinking that I'm actually a good person…"

Hakaru leaned back and let out a small sigh. "Just because you've done some bad things, and may have to do some bad things again in the future doesn't mean you're a bad person." He frowned, considering his next words carefully. "We all have to do bad things or things that could cause harm sometimes, but...so long as you work harder to make sure you don't have to do that kind of thing next time, and work harder to be better in the future, you're not a bad person."

"Thanks, Hakaru-chan, but...you don't know all that I've done. I'm a monster with a pretty face, and when I become a jinchuuriki...then they'll actually see me as a monster. I deserve it, Hakaru-chan. I deserve to have them hate me."

Jin knew he was sinking back into the place he had been just after Raizo's death. Kita Kaze may have been a monster on the outside, always showing it, but Jin knew that he was a monster on the inside, rotten to the core.

"Jin-chan, don't make me scold you. I've already told you what I think, and no matter what you say about yourself, I'm not gonna think you're a monster, and I don't think any of the others will, either." Hakaru poked at Jin's shin. "Now quit feeling sorry for yourself."

"You don't get it, Hakaru-chan. I murdered my only friend. I couldn't save that girl from being turned into a jinchuuriki and used as a weapon. I let my fiance die. I murdered my teacher. I let my brother die, and my other siblings suffer the same way I did. I'm a monster." Jin sighed and closed his eyes, heart heavy. "Maybe I've just got bad blood. I don't know who my father was, but my mother is a whore that forced her children to sell themselves the same way she does. She's an alcoholic that swindles men out of their money and hits her children. I share her blood, and look at me."

"So...it means nothing that you loved Raizo-chan so fiercely because you share your mother's blood? It means nothing that you saved me from a life of torture and experimentation?" Hakaru's voice was quiet. "I think that with things like that, you could never be like your mother. Those things outweigh the bad you've done tenfold, and mean more than blood ever will."

Jin let out a sigh and rubbed absently at his wrist. "Thanks, Hakaru-chan, but...you just don't know…"

"For fuck's sake, Jin-chan, quit thinking so lowly of yourself. You were finally starting to be happy, and you're just dragging yourself down again." Hakaru snapped, showing Jin his teeth like an angry dog.

"Hakaru!" Jin gasped, staring at his adoptive brother with wide eyes. "Don't say that word! It's rude!"

"What? I can't say the word 'happy?' Sorry, I'll fix that." Hakaru grumbled before repeating himself. "For fuck's sake, Jin-chan, quit thinking so lowly of yourself. You were finally starting to cheer up, and now you're just dragging yourself right back down again."

"Hakaru! Not that word! 'Fuck.' You can't say 'fuck.'" Jin rubbed at his temples, feeling a headache starting to form.

"Oh, whatever. It doesn't matter what word I use. Just listen to what I'm trying to say to you." Hakaru poked Jin's wound gently, earning a yelp from him.

"That hurt, Hakaru-chan! What the hell has gotten into you?!" Jin stared at Hakaru as if he had just sprouted wings.

"I'm sick of watching you feel sorry for yourself. It's been three years since Raizo-chan died, and as much as I miss him, too, it's time for you to let yourself be happy." Hakaru puffed his cheeks out.

Jin opened his mouth to speak, nettled by the fact that Hakaru was becoming so antagonistic towards him.

Hakaru beat him to it. "You're not the only one that has suffered and you're also not the only one to have done bad things. You're a shinobi, and because of that, bad things happen. Get over it, and maybe consider that others might also have the same insecurities you do. No one thinks you're a bad person, and I'll personally disembowel anyone that says you are."

As much as he wanted to, Jin decided that it would be a good idea to stop arguing with him. Instead of saying anything more, Jin began searching through the second box.

"Why are you even stressing about this anyway? You usually don't care about what people." Hakaru asked, going back to work.

"Ah, that's...no reason, I just…" Jin's thoughts immediately settled on Kakashi, and he tried to think of a reason other than Kakashi's opinion of him. "It's...uh…"

Hakaru paused again, and he tipped his head to the side slightly as he listened to Jin. Then a wide, mischievous smile spread across his face, as if something had occurred to him. He wiggled a little, unable to hide the snort of laughter that escaped his lips.

"Jin-chan...you have a crush on someone, dontcha? I think I know who it is!"

"I..I don't know what you're talking about! I, uh, I don't have a crush on anyone!" Jin wondered why he was getting so embarrassed, and why his face was getting so hot. "I...I don't like anyone that way! Just...just drop it, okay?"

"Nope, nope! I'm not gonna drop it! How can I when you've made it so obvious?" Hakaru crowed, sticking out his tongue mischievously.

"Shush, you! I don't...don't have a crush on anyone! Why are you teasing me like this?!" Jin put his face in his hands, dropping the glass mask he had picked up back in the box.

A maniacal giggle bubbled up in Hakaru's throat, and as much as he tried to keep it in, he couldn't. Soon enough, he had to stop working on Jin's leg, unable to focus on healing it properly.

"It's Kakashi-chan, isn't it? I've seen how you act around him, and you totally like him! It's obvious!"

"Hakaru-chan, quit it...I...I don't like him like that...I...he's just a friend...don't twist things...I...I always treat my friends like that…" Though Jin said that, he couldn't ignore the way his heart sped up when Hakaru mentioned Kakashi's name.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!" Hakaru teased, returning to repairing Jin's damaged leg.

"Stop it!" Jin begged, rubbing at his blushing face.

Hakaru did not stop, and the boxes Jin had been sorting ended up forgotten.

* * *

" _If you cannot persuade him to work under us, then kill him. There are rumors of Kita Kaze making an appearance in the leaf, and they'll be able to draw Shiraishi out into the open. Now go." Face hidden by shadows, a man in a black coat with red clouds gave his orders to four shinobi who wore the same coats._

 _Each shinobi gave a single nod, disappearing into the shadows to begin their hunt for Shiraishi Jin._

* * *

Kita Kaze arrived right on time, Ao and Midori in tow. They walked through the village gates, silent as death itself.

Instead of the standard shinobi that checked the identification cards of visiting shinobi, Kita Kaze was greeted by the Hokage herself, Shizune at her side. Even she was stunned by Kita Kaze, having heard rumors, but never believing them to be true. She took at moment to study the foreign shinobi.

Ao and Midori were dressed in a nondescript fashion, masks in place over their faces, but otherwise unremarkable.

Kita Kaze, on the other hand, was a completely different. Dressed in a simple black shirt and standard shinobi pants under a battered chest guard, it was impossible to tell whether or not they were a man or a woman, anything in between, or even human. The mask covering their face was faded and permanently stained red, the original pattern impossible to make out anymore. Every inch of skin that could have been seen was wrapped in thick bandages, as if to make certain they could not be identified.

However, that was not what had Tsunade startled.

Attached to a plain leather belt, bones of the human sort hung down from their waist, trophies of successful missions, or perhaps relics of power that she could not hope to understand. The aura that they emanated was impossible to pin down, and their chakra signal was nonexistent, as if they had none.

Kita Kaze raised their hands slowly and began signing. They tilted their head to the side slightly, as if studying Tsunade intently.

"Ah, Kita Kaze wants to know if you're the Hokage. They, uh, can't exactly talk. We'll translate for you, though." Midori spoke up, watching Kita Kaze intently to make sure he didn't miss any of what they had to say.

Tsunade nodded, crossing her arms and staring the the trio with narrowed eyes. "I am. You are Kita Kaze? Come, we will speak in my office, but first...show me your face."

"That is out of the question." Ao said coldly. "It is exceedingly dangerous for them to give even a hint of who they are. There are only three people alive today who know their identity, and we intend to keep it that way."

Kita Kaze nodded in agreement, signing rapidly to Tsunade. They tipped their head to the other side, and then offered her their hand.

"They say they're here only for what Shiraishi mentioned. They'll cooperate with some of your wishes, but want to discuss things away from civilians, in case something goes wrong." Midori sighed. "They also want to shake hands as a sign peace."

Kita Kaze kept their hand held out until Tsunade took it in a firm handshake. Noting the way Tsunade seemed to want to crush their hand with her monstrous strength, Kita Kaze gave a nod of respect, as if they were recognizing her position.

"We can talk on one of the training grounds." Tsunade let go, nodding at something past Kita Kaze.

Kita Kaze glanced backwards to see none other than Konoha's infamous copy nin come out of hiding, flanked by several ANBU agents. In a friendly sign of greeting, Kita Kaze waved at them, appearing completely unfazed by their sudden appearance.

"Let's go, then, before Kita Kaze gets impatient." Ao said, not bothering to acknowledge Kakashi, even though they'd worked together once not long ago.

Tsunade turned without a word and led the way to one of the training fields, making certain that it was deserted. Here, they could talk without unwanted listeners.

Kita Kaze sat down on the ground and crossed their legs, bones on their belt jangling together. They leaned over and patted the spot in front of them, as if telling Tsunade to sit down. Once Tsunade did as she was asked and sat across from them, Kita Kaze glanced at the copy nin and patted the grass next to them, as if telling him to sit as well.

Kakashi narrowed his eye, but reluctantly sat on the grass with the hunter nin and his Hokage. He noted how strange Kita Kaze was; how they didn't speak; how they favored one leg over the other, as if they'd been injured in some way; how they didn't even look human when they moved. Kita Kaze was an enigma, and yet there was something familiar about them, as if they had met before.

The moment they were all seated, Kita Kaze began rapidly signing, with Midori standing there to translate for them.

"'Shiraishi has explained to me what he wishes to do. I would like to know why I have been called here. I will help to protect the child. Very few dare to challenge me, and fewer still live to tell the tale.'" Midori translated easily, accustomed to being Kita Kaze's voice by now.

"I'm afraid the council is going to want more than just your say-so. They are going to want proof that you're capable of keeping the Uchiha out of Orochimaru's hands." Tsunade stared Kita Kaze down, not quite sure where to look.

Midori put his hand to his mask and shook his head as Kita Kaze signed rapidly, movements jerky with irritation. "I'm not repeating that. Sorry. Figure out how to say it yourself."

A faint growl came from behind Kita Kaze's mask, and they made several jerky signs at Midori before turning back to Tsunade and flipping her the bird, sticking their middle finger right up to her face.

"Excuse me?!" Tsunade glared at Kita Kaze, eyes narrowed angrily. "How about I teach you some respect, brat?!"

Ao bopped Kita Kaze over the head and sighed. "Remember what Mizukage-sama told you. Even if you don't listen to us, you always listen to her. You shouldn't break that pattern."

Kita Kaze heaved a sigh and crossed their arms in frustration. They turned their head to the side, refusing to face Tsunade now.

"I apologize on behalf of Mizukage-sama. Kita Kaze doesn't have any manners, and it's proven impossible to teach them any." Midori shook his head miserably.

"Perhaps if you want proof that Kita Kaze lives up to what they say, we could conduct a spar? Kita Kaze against Midori and myself, I mean." Ao suggested while Kita Kaze refused to communicate, having moved on to twisting their long, black hair between their bandaged fingers.

Before anyone could answer Ao's proposition, a familiar chakra signature flared up around them. Everyone looked around quickly, trying to pinpoint the source of the chakra.

Kita Kaze froze, recognizing the chakra signature. They could not move as memories played through their mind like a movie.

* * *

" _Hoshigaki Kisame, by order of the Mizukage, you have been sentenced to death." Kita Kaze spoke without expression, standing side by side with their partner, Inazuma._

 _Despite being completely at ease with each other, the air was tense between Inazuma and Kita Kaze, as if something had happened between them. Unbeknownst to them, it would lead to tragedy._

 _Kisame laughed cruelly, and uncharacteristically, Itachi stepped back to allow Kisame his bloodshed. After all, the hunter nin would continue to pursue them unless they were dealt with in a permanent fashion._

 _Inazuma and Kita Kaze attacked Kisame in near perfect unison, just barely out of sync with each other._

 _It was a battle that seemed to defy the way time normally flowed, it was impossible to tell exactly how long they went on wearing Kisame down._

 _It was long enough for Kisame to realize that they were not in sync, and gave him a chance to end the battle with hardly an injury to himself._

 _With an enormous swing, Kisame aimed for Kita Kaze with Samehada. There was no time for Kita Kaze to dodge the attack, and for a moment, time slowed down._

 _Kita Kaze raised their sword and braced for impact, knowing full well that it would be a devastating hit no matter what they did to defend themself._

 _Inazuma realized what was going to happen and knew what he had to do. Without hesitation, he threw himself in front of Kisame's sword._

 _Blood sprayed, and Kita Kaze dropped to the ground, surprised to find that they were unharmed. Looking up slowly, Kita Kaze went rigid at the sight before them._

 _Inazuma dropped to the ground in front of them, unable to hold himself up after taking the devastating blow meant for his partner._

" _Kisame, that's enough. Let's go." Itachi spoke quietly, reigning in his bloodthirsty partner._

 _Shocked beyond belief, Kita Kaze did not register that Kisame and Itachi were leaving them behind. Instead, they stumbled to Inazuma's side, dropping to their knees and placing their hands over the large wound that would most assuredly kill their precious partner._

 _Inazuma struggled to draw in each breath, but managed to dredge up the strength to speak. "Let...let me see your face...Jin…" His voice was nothing but a whisper, carried on the faint breeze to Kita Kaze's ears._

 _Kita Kaze sat down, pulling Inazuma into their lap. In their heart, they knew that he was dying. They did not remove their mask, not wanting Inazuma to see the tears that had begun to fall from their eyes without any sign of stopping._

" _Jin, let me...see your face...one last time…" Inazuma reached up slowly, forcing himself into action, and pulled Kita Kaze's mask from his face._

 _Identity revealed, Jin choked back a sob in favor of comforting Inazuma. He slowly removed his partner's mask, staring into his beautiful green eyes. "I'm sorry...Raizo, I'm sorry…" His voice cracked as he tried not to break down completely._

" _It's not...your fault…" Raizo caressed Jin's face with a shaky, unsteady hand. "I'm...I'm the one...who…" He broke off into a hacking, bloody cough._

 _Jin hugged Raizo close to him, a whimper escaping his lips. "It's gonna be okay, Raizo...I promise it's gonna be okay…" He leaned down and pressed his forehead against Raizo's, placing one hand over his wound._

" _Jin...I love you…" Raizo's breathing grew ragged and shallow._

 _Jin channeled his chakra to his hand, trying to heal the fatal wound that his fiance had been dealt. He refused to believe that Raizo was going to die._

" _I promise it's gonna be...okay. Just...just stay with me, please...Raizo…" Jin choked on his words, pressing a kiss to the corner of Raizo's mouth. "We're going to get married...under the...the willow tree where...where you promised that you'd always be by my side…"_

 _Raizo smiled weakly, hand remaining on Jin's cheek, shaking with the effort of holding it there. "Yes...we're going...to get...married...and...and…"_

" _And we...we're going to grow old together...Raizo…" Jin could no longer hold in his sobs, an anguished cry escaping his lips. "We...Raizo, you can't leave me! Don't leave me alone!"_

 _Though it was futile, Jin kept trying to mold his chakra in the way that Tsunade had tried to teach him so long ago. Same as then, he couldn't focus his chakra in the way he needed to seal Raizo's wound, and his blood seeped from between his fingers despite Jin's best efforts to keep it in._

" _I...I'm sorry, Jin...I...don't want...to...leave...you…" Raizo's hand slipped from Jin's cheek as he took his last breath, green eyes shutting against his will._

" _I love you, Raizo...I love you, don't go...no...Raizo…" Jin could no longer feel his heartbeat beneath his hand. "Raizo…" Crystals of ice shot up around them, as if shielding them from the rest of the world._

 _Jin cradled Raizo's lifeless body until it went cold._

* * *

Kita Kaze was brought back to their senses when the chakra signature grew closer, and they slowly rose to their feet. They ignored Ao and Midori's protests, instead walking slowly in the direction the chakra signature was coming from.

Their rage nearly tangible to everyone around them, Kita Kaze could not help the animalistic snarl that escaped from beneath their mask. They would never forget Hoshigaki Kisame's chakra signature, and didn't bother wondering why he was here.

"Oh, fuck." Ao muttered, exchanging a glance with Midori. "We...we'd better be prepared to intervene."

Midori gave a single nod, glancing at Tsunade and Kakashi. "Hokage-sama, I would suggest you retreat to safety for now. We would be disheartened if our problem led to your injury. Kita Kaze is perfectly capable of taking care of themself, even against the Akatsuki. We will ensure that there is no danger to your village."

Kita Kaze pulled on a pair of clawed gloves, eerily similar to Minami Ran's, but better designed for their purpose. The moment Hoshigaki Kisame and his partner, Uchiha Itachi, came into view, Kita Kaze began to sign slowly. Even though they could not tell what they were trying to say exactly, Kita Kaze's message was clear; they were going to avenge their fallen partner.

"Ao, we can take care of the Uchiha so that Kita Kaze can kill Hoshigaki without having to worry about his partner." Midori said, removing a weighted chain scythe from a loop on his belt.

Ao gave a simple nod, unsheathing his katana. "Let's go." He glanced back at Tsunade. "Here's your proof that Kita Kaze will be able to protect the young Uchiha. Don't listen to Midori, and watch closely."

With that, Ao and Midori launched into action, going right for Itachi. Together, there was a chance that they could subdue Itachi.

"Surround them, and if it looks like there's a chance that either of those two have a chance of escaping, kill them." Tsunade gave the ANBU nin their orders and waited for them to vanish before turning to Kakashi. "Assist the Mist shinobi in any way that you can. I don't think they'll last long against the Uchiha." Once she had given her orders, she sent someone back to get more help.

As Kita Kaze approached Kisame, they noticed that he was beginning to back away they he and his partner had come.

Not willing to let Kisame go, and too enraged to think about what he could be planning, Kita Kaze launched themself forward. Rage boiled in their blood, driving them nearly into madness. No, it wasn't their rage that was driving them to madness, though it did play a part. They were losing control over a technique that granted them a huge advantage in battle, but took a great toll on their mind.

A clash of steel against steel drew Kita Kaze's attention for a moment to where Ao and Midori were taking on Itachi. In that moment, Kisame turned and fled back the way he had come, Itachi following suit a moment later.

Kita Kaze pursued Kisame into the trees, Ao and Midori coming up alongside them to follow. A little ways farther behind them, Kakashi followed to help in case they needed it. There was no sign of the ANBU agents that had been with Tsunade.

Bloodstained memories clouded Kita Kaze's judgement, and they nearly ended up falling into Kisame and Itachi's trap because of it.

The ANBU agents laid strewn about the ground, bloodied and broken, though they couldn't have been there for more than a few moments. In the center of the chaos stood two more Akatsuki members; Hidan and Kakuzu.

Kita Kaze stopped, finally realizing that they needed a plan. Going berserk as normal would not work against four Akatsuki members, and would likely lead to the deaths of his own allies.

"Now that we've got your attention...tell us where Shiraishi Jin is, and we'll leave this village in peace." Itachi spoke up quietly.

"What do you want with him?" Kakashi asked from behind Kita Kaze and Ao and Midori.

Kita Kaze raised a hand to keep Kakashi from speaking any further, eyes trained on Kisame. Then, slowly, tauntingly, they raised their other hand up and flipped their middle finger up at Itachi.

"We know of your reputation, Kita Kaze, but that will not deter us." Itachi warned. "Hand over Shiraishi Jin."

In response, Kita Kaze pointed to Itachi, put their hand to where their mouth would be located on their mask in a kissing gesture. Then they turned around, placing the very same hand on their rear end, giving the very clear message of 'kiss my ass.'

"Ah, well, I can't say that I'm surprised that's the response they went with…" Midori mumbled, shaking his head slightly.

Ao shook his head slightly at his partner and glanced at Kakashi. "Stick with us, we'll take on the Uchiha, and Kita Kaze can handle the other three."

"One more warning; stay out of their way, or you may end up dead. Kita Kaze has very little regard for life. If you get into a bad situation, don't rely on them for help, either, because they'll sooner use you as a shield." Midori shifted his weight backwards, chain scythe held loosely in his hands.

"We'll make sure you don't die." Ao began walking towards Itachi, smiling faintly beneath his mask.

Meanwhile, Kita Kaze completely ignored Hidan and Kakuzu, in favor of going after Kisame. Revenge would be sweet.

"Too bad your friend, Inazuma, isn't here to watch you go down." Kisame taunted, a sadistic grin spreading across his face. When Kita Kaze did not verbally respond, he laughed, "what? Lost your voice since the last time we met?"

Kita Kaze slowly shook their head, raking their clawed gloves against a tree, scoring deep marks into the wood; a threat.

"No. I can speak just fine." Voice flat and unrecognizable, but familiar, Kita Kaze spoke with incredible restraint. "Do not defile his name with your filthy mouth. Inazuma may be dead, but that doesn't mean that he's not here. Pray for mercy from whatever god you believe in, because you won't receive any from me."

"Bring it on." Kisame laughed, already wielding Samehada. "I hear you've been accepted as one of the Seven Swordsmen. Do you really think you can take my place, when you couldn't even stop me from killing your partner? If so, where's your sword?"

"I suggest that you quit talking and accept the fact that you are going to die today by my hand. Talking isn't going to prolong your life. You are responsible for murder, more than one, actually. I would have given you a quick death, but you have made this personal, so I'm going to make you suffer." Just a hint of their rage seeped into Kita Kaze's voice.

"I'm going to enjoy ripping you to shreds." Shark-like fangs bared, Kisame advanced forward.

Unable to handle being left out of the fun, Hidan also stepped. "I want in on this! Enough talk." He took a moment to clasp his necklace in one hand and mutter a prayer of some sort. All Kita Kaze caught was a muttered 'Jashin-sama.'

"Keep out of this. I'll deal with you after I'm done with him." Kita Kaze's gaze never left Kisame.

Without waiting to see what Hidan would do, Kita Kaze leaned backwards, leg bent and tensed, and with an enormous burst of chakra, they kicked off, propelling themself into the air. As fast as the cold north wind that they had taken their name from, they dropped from just above Kisame, spinning in the process.

Kisame moved just in time, Kita Kaze's claws slashing the air where he had been less than a second before.

Landing in a crouch, Kita Kaze spun, their claws already outstretched to catch Kisame as he moved out of Kita Kaze's reach. Blood spurted from the shallow cuts they left along his calf.

In the same move, Kita Kaze flipped backwards, dodging a potentially devastating blow from Samehada. Twisting midflip, they managed to barely avoid Hidan's triple bladed scythe, a chunk of sleek black hair scattering to the ground.

They landed in a crouch on all fours one second, and in the next they were launching towards Kisame again. Savagely, they grasped the covered Samehada in their clawed hands and thrust their good leg right into his face.

The moment Samehada began wiggling beneath its bandages, already absorbing Kita Kaze's chakra, Kita Kaze's let go and dropped to the ground to avoid the sentient blade that had been the cause of their partner's death.

For a long while, Kita Kaze exchanged blows with Kisame and avoided Hidan's frantic, crazed attacks. None of the three showed any sign of tiring or slipping up, hardly even landing any blows.

"You've gotten better." Kisame acknowledged. "But it's still not good enough." He swung Samehada down, lopping off more of Kita Kaze's hair.

"So you say, but if you'll notice...you haven't even landed one blow on me yet, and I've gotten you three times now. Soon enough you'll regret starting this war with me." Kita Kaze rasped as they slipped under Kisame's legs, tripping him up as they did so. "You shouldn't have underestimated me."

"Pay. Attention. To. ME!" Hidan swung his blade right at Kita Kaze just as they were standing up.

They ducked under the swing of Hidan's scythe, noting how Kisame had to scramble out of the way to avoid Hidan's swing.

As much as they pretended not to notice, Kita Kaze was tiring fast. They needed to end this before they lost control of themself.

Hidan's attacks were becoming more and more frenzied now, and Kita Kaze was having a harder time dodging and blocking them at the same time they were trying to kill Kisame.

They were almost hit when Kisame managed to time his next attack with Hidan's, they were saved when Kakashi stepped in, back to back with them, blocking Kisame's attack while Kita Kaze managed to deflect Hidan's.

"Stay out of this, copycat." Kita Kaze hissed ungratefully, using their opportunity to kick Hidan backwards into a tree. They spun around and shoved Kakashi away so that they could renew their assault on Kisame.

Kakashi stumbled away, startled that Kita Kaze had been so hostile to him when they should have been allies. It was enough to leave him open for just long enough for Hidan to recover and take his chance. Triple bladed scythe coming right for him, Kakashi moved out of the way entirely too slowly.

None of the blades ever hit him, and Kakashi was startled to find that Kita Kaze was in front of him. They had taken the blow for him; two of three blades lodged just below their ribcage proof of that.

But there was no blood, despite the fact that the blades had gone all the way through.

Kita Kaze stared at the ground for several moments, the terror of Kakashi meeting a similar bloody end that Inazuma had met subsiding when they realized they had made it just in time.

"What the fuck!" Hidan yanked his scythe back, clearly pissed that his attack seemed to have done nothing to his opponent.

What seeped from the gaping wounds Hidan had left in Kita Kaze was more like a purple gaseous substance, giving off the appearance of a galaxy full of stars. Their spine and bottom ribs were barely visible behind the opaque substance, and a cold laugh escaped Kita Kaze.

"You can't win. No matter how many holes you put in me, no matter how many pieces you tear me into, I won't die. Pray to your pathetic god and hope that he'll take pity on you, Hidan. Because I am not going to show you mercy, either." Kita Kaze launched themself at Kisame again, growing reckless.

It was becoming harder for them to control themself, so hard to resist the urge to just slaughter everyone in the area and add their bones to their collection.

Kisame seemed to sense the weakness in Kita Kaze and swung Samehada right at their head. The scaly blade collided with Kita Kaze's head, cracking the mask on their face and cutting the wire that held it in place.

The mask hit the ground with a quiet thump, and Kita Kaze slowly lifted their head. More than half their face was made up of the strange substance that looked like an entire galaxy in and of itself. The rest of their face that was visible was eerily familiar, but impossible to identify unless one recognized the violet eye full of a rage impossible to contain.

A moment later, the mask was back on their face, tied with a red ribbon strengthened with steel wiring woven throughout.

Kita Kaze rose to their feet, quickly making several hand seals in preparation for a powerful technique.

They never got the chance.

Kisame and Hidan attacked at once, both blades cleaving into Kita Kaze viciously. They each yanked their weapons from Kita Kaze's body, purplish wisps trailing along after the blades.

"Looks like I won't be the one dying today." Kisame laughed, holding Samehada level to Kita Kaze's throat while Hidan tried to figure out how make his ritual work when his opponent didn't bleed. Kakuzu watched silently, willing to let his partner and the fish man fight the hunter nin without intervening.

"None of you are dying today." A quiet voice pierced the air, and a tall woman stepped into the battlefield, hair as silver as the moon swaying behind her. "Cease your petty squabble." Her gaze swept over the battlefield coldly.

"Come on, Tsukuyomi, you know how humans are with things like this. You can't expect them to stop fighting at the command of someone they've long forgotten about by now." A shorter woman leapt down from a tree branch into the middle of the battlefield. "We'll just have to get our hands dirty."

"You're right, Amaterasu. Please try not to hurt them too badly. We do need them alive." The other woman, Tsukuyomi, replied, heading over to where Ao and Midori were still fighting with Itachi. The two hunter nin were not winning, Ao defending a wounded Midori as fiercely as Kita Kaze had attacked Kisame.

"You got it, darling." Amaterasu winked at the other woman and launched into action, kicking Samehada away from Kita Kaze's throat so forcefully that it sent Kisame reeling backwards. She spun to face Kita Kaze and yanked them to their feet. "Kay, so, Kita Kaze, my dude, my buddy, my pal, let's do this together, okay? We're just gonna drive them away from the village and then let them go for now, got it? I know you've got your, uh, currently non-existent heart set on revenge, but Tsukuyomi and I kinda need you alive, so you're gonna have to let it go for now!"

Kita Kaze swayed on their feet for a moment, exhaustion and pain momentarily sweeping over them. They shook their head and went for Kisame again, blinded by a rage they could not contain.

It was impossible for them to let the man that had taken everything from them go. After Inazuma's death, their life had crumbled into pieces. They'd barely managed to stitch the remnants of their heart back together with only the desire for revenge keeping them from succumbing to grief.

"No! He does not get to live!" Kita Kaze snarled like a feral dog, scraping their claws through the fabric of Kisame's cloak, barely missing flesh.

"God, fuck." Amaterasu huffed and turned to Kakashi. "Since you're really the only who seems sane around here right now, I'm gonna need you to restrain Mr I Wanna Kill The Big Blue Shark Man. You're close to him, right? We've seen it, so just do the forehead thing you do with him. I'll explain everything soon, but we really need to get the Akatsuki away from the village first."

Unable to deny this strange woman's request, Kakashi nodded. He went after Kita Kaze, wondering how she had known about how he always calmed Jin, and how it would calm Kita Kaze. Sure, there was something eerily familiar about Kita Kaze, but...Jin had been wounded too badly to be moving the way Kita Kaze was able to move.

Seeing that Kakashi had listened to her, Amaterasu engaged in battle with Hidan. Despite her small size, she had no trouble giving as good as she got.

Across the way, Midori struggled to his feet, blood steadily spilling from a deep wound Itachi had managed to inflict. He could not stand to watch Ao take hit after hit without being able to defend himself quickly enough.

Kita Kaze did not seem to hear the suffering of their students, focused solely on Kisame. Reckless and growing tired, they could not stop Kisame from tossing them around like a ragdoll. They were no longer even coming close to hitting him, but they kept getting up every time they were battered into the ground.

"Give it up already! This is just getting pathetic." Kisame flung Kita Kaze into a tree with Samehada.

"I'm never going to stop...I'm never going to let you escape again!" Kita Kaze struggled to their feet again. Shambling forward like a zombie, they lashed out violently with their claws.

Kisame raised Samehada, deciding to end this once and for all. He swung the living sword down to sever Kita Kaze's head from their body.

Kakashi made it just in time, knocking Kita Kaze out of Samehada's path, the blade glancing off his shoulder painfully. He dropped to his knees, by Kita Kaze's side and forced them to stay sitting where they were.

"Kisame! Let's go!" Itachi's voice came from close by, and Kisame immediately withdrew from battle.

"We'll finish this next time, Kaze. Keep an eye out for me." Kisame vanished into the trees with Itachi not far behind.

Kita Kaze renewed their efforts to go after Kisame, but Kakashi wrapped his arms around them tightly, keeping them from making another mad dash for the rogue shinobi. "No! Let me go! I have to kill him! He has to pay for what he's done!"

Kakashi forced Kita Kaze's head around and lifted their mask up. Reluctantly following Amaterasu's advice, he pressed his forehead against theirs and stared into their violet eyes. Almost immediately, he noticed a single fleck of blue amidst the sea of violet in their eyes. His blood went cold. This violently hateful shinobi with no regard for human life had the same eyes as Jin, though he didn't recognize any other features because of the strange technique they were using. It had to be a coincidence. Jin was not like this. He was not a monster set on revenge. This was not Jin.

"Calm down. You can't go after them." Kakashi snapped, soon growing startled when they collapsed limply in his arms, a painful sob escaping from their throat.

Eventually, Amaterasu sent Hidan and Kakuzu packing, and she turned her attention to Kakashi and Kita Kaze. "You can let go now. Kita Kaze won't be going after him now. Besides, he needs to be meeting back up with your Hokage now. You don't have to worry, Kita Kaze will be okay."

"Amaterasu, we'll need to help these two back to the village. The green one is in bad shape." Tsukuyomi called from where she sat crouched next to Ao, who was cradling Midori in his lap, blood dripping from beneath his mask.

"I'll be over in a moment." Amaterasu replied, her gaze never leaving Kakashi and Kita Kaze. "Let him go, and come with me, copy nin. We'll need your help. Kita Kaze, go report to the Hokage now, and then tend to your wounds. I'll make sure you have enough time."

Kita Kaze slowly rose to their feet as soon as Kakashi let go. They pulled their mask down over their face again and took off their bloody clawed gloves, placing them in a pouch to be cleaned later.

Favoring one leg as the stood very still, Kita Kaze made slow hand seals, and burst into millions of tiny shards of ice, appearing in the spot they had left Tsunade.

She was still there, dispatching shinobi in the direction that they and the Akatsuki members had disappeared in, as well as sending extras to fortify village security. She stopped, however, the moment she saw the hunter nin.

"Where are the others?" Tsunade asked sharply, noticing that he was very obviously alone.

Kita Kaze hardly heard her, feeling nothing but emptiness deep in their heart. They'd failed again. When Tsunade repeated herself, Kita Kaze slowly answered her, their hand movements stiff and puppetlike in nature.

It took a while for Tsunade to understand what they were telling her, but once she did, she dispatched extra shinobi to ensure that they returned safely to the village.

Kita Kaze was gone by the time she turned her attention back to them.

* * *

Silently, Kita Kaze slipped into Kakashi's home through one of the back windows moments after leaving Tsunade's presence. Alerted to their presence, Hakaru came sprinting into the room.

"Jin-chan!" He launched himself at his adoptive brother, already sensing that something was terribly wrong. "Jin-chan, what happened?" He could feel the gaping holes where Hidan's scythe had pierced and froze. "Come on, come on!"

Hakaru dragged Jin, who was taking his mask off, into the bathroom. He helped Jin into the tub, helping him sit down carefully. It would become very messy very soon and Hakaru thought it would be best to contain the mess as best as possible.

"Are you ready, Hakaru-chan?" Jin asked softly, his voice hoarse. "Don't worry about the bruises or small cuts. I...I'll tell Kakashi that I...that I fell down a flight of stairs or something…" Fatigue was catching up with him fast, but he managed to take off his shoes, belt, and chestplate.

"Yes, I'm ready. You can release that awful technique now." Hakaru sat down on the edge of the tub, preparing himself. Having worked hard all week healing Jin's leg up as much as he could within the time frame, he was low on chakra.

Jin closed his eyes and released what little of a henge he'd used, his hair returning back to its normal length. Once he had done that, he slowly released the second technique that he'd used, the gaseous substance that had surrounded his bones instead of flesh and blood.

Hakaru leaned forward, hands glowing a faint green. The moment had completely returned to normal, blood began spilling at an alarming rate from where Hidan's scythes had pierced him.

It was bad, and Hakaru was afraid that he may not have enough chakra to heal Jin enough so that he would be out of danger. And if any of his wounds were to become infected, Jin would not be able to fight off the infection. For reasons that Hakaru was unable to comprehend, the technique that Jin had used completely stripped the immune system, leaving its user completely vulnerable to infection and or illness, unless a medic nin took the time to work at repairing it. Hakaru could admit that the technique was useful in the moment, as it temporarily kept its user from suffering any wounds until it was released, but the cost was far too high in his opinion.

Hakaru tried to get Jin to tell him what had happened multiple times while he worked at healing the most devastating wounds he'd been dealt, but no matter how many times he asked or rephrased his questions, Jin would not answer, instead staring blankly up at the ceiling.

After several long hours, Hakaru managed to repair enough of the damage that Jin had suffered to take a break. He was nearly out of chakra now, and he knew that he would need as much as he could muster, should Jin get an infection or sick while his immune system repaired itself.

"Come on, Jin-chan. It's time for you to rest. I'll hide your things." Voice tired, Hakaru helped Jin to his feet and slowly supported him as they went back to the room they shared. Despite his protests, Jin refused to lie down on the bed, instead curling up on the futon on the ground.

Once he was sure that Jin had fallen asleep, Hakaru returned to the bathroom, first picking up the things that would identify Jin as Kita Kaze. He took them back to their room and hid them within a scroll, unaware that he was tracking Jin's blood all throughout the halls.

No sooner had Hakaru returned to the bathroom to scrub the blood off the tub and floors, an almost impossible task for someone who couldn't see where it had all ended up, the sound of the front door opening alerted him to Kakashi's return.

The reek of Kakashi's blood drew Hakaru's attention, and he bolted from the bathroom to the entryway, where Kakashi was taking off his shoes.

"Hakaru? What happened? Where'd all that blood come from? You're not hurt, are you?" Kakashi asked, voice tired but concerned.

Hakaru felt Kakashi place his hands on his shoulders and lean close. "I'm okay." He replied, carefully thinking about what to say next. "It's Kita Kaze's blood. They showed up here a while ago. I'm sorry I couldn't get all the blood cleaned up before you got home…" He pouted, trying to speak as normal as he could in spite of his worry for Jin.

"Are they still here? And where's Jin?" Kakashi asked, wiping a smudge of blood from Hakaru's cheek.

"Ah, Jin-chan is sick. He's sleeping right now, so it would be best not to bother him...and no, Kita Kaze is gone now…" Hakaru grabbed onto Kakashi's arm in an attempt to keep him from going to their room.

Kakashi pushed past Hakaru gently, going to the room where Jin slept restlessly. "Why isn't he in the bed?" He asked quietly, going to Jin's side and crouching next to him. He noticed a speck of blood on his cheek and frowned faintly.

"He refused…" Hakaru replied quietly, shifting his feet anxiously as Kakashi lifted Jin into his arms gently. "He said he wanted me to rest in bed after using so much chakra to heal Kita Kaze…"

"I see…" Kakashi winced as pain lanced through his shoulder, but he just carried Jin out of the room, and took him to his own room. "Hakaru. I have a question for you, and I want an honest answer…"

He had his suspicions about Kita Kaze's identity, having thought over all the strange similarities he'd noticed Jin shared with them, and he wanted confirmation now.

Hakaru didn't say a word until Kakashi had tucked Jin gently into bed. "Only if you tell me what happened. And only if you let me fix up your shoulder. I can smell the blood."

Kakashi sighed, but led him back out to the living room, where he sat on the couch. He let Hakaru work on healing his shoulder, startled when the rest of his aches and pains faded with the soothing presence of Hakaru's chakra. While Hakaru worked, he told him what had happened.

Hakaru didn't respond until he'd done as much as he could for Kakashi's shoulder, completely out of chakra now. He set his hands in his lap, clasping them together tightly. "I see. That explains things…"

"Hakaru, will you answer my question now?" Before Hakaru could answer, he went on, "is Jin Kita Kaze?"

"Kakashi-chan, you seem to have already figured it out. Yes, Jin-chan and Kita Kaze are the same person. You can't tell anyone, though. If you do...he'll be in a lot more danger than usual, and also, I will kill you if you tell anyone." He spoke seriously, frowning.

Kakashi narrowed his eye at the strange boy, but decided to question him about something different. "Why is he so fixated on Hoshigaki?" Having spent the majority of the battle assisting Ao and Midori, he had not heard most of what went on.

"Ah...that…" Hakaru went quiet for a moment before getting up. "I...I suppose I've got a lot of explaining, huh? Jin won't talk about it, but...all things considered, I suppose you deserve to know." He left the room for a moment, returning with a photograph and a necklace with a pair of engagement rings.

"What's that?" Kakashi asked softly as Hakaru came to sit next to him again.

"Has Jin-chan told you anything about Raizo-chan? What their relationship was, other than just being partners, I mean." Hakaru asked quietly, fiddling with the corner of the photograph absentmindedly.

"Not really."

Hakaru passed the photograph over to Kakashi, closing his sightless eyes. "Well, I doubt he would have said anything, anyway, so I'll just have to tell you…"

Kakashi looked down at the picture, examining the serious looking man staring back at him.

White hair in a messy braid swept over the man's shoulder was adorned with flowers. Brilliant green eyes stared back at him, red markings around them like thick eyeliner. Two red markings on his forehead and pale skin that marked him as a Kaguya. His hand was raised, as if he was waving to whoever was taking his picture, light glinting brightly off a silver ring.

"This is Raizo?" Kakashi asked softly, noting the way the photograph was faded in places, worn thin as if it had been folded and unfolded many times.

Hakaru nodded slightly. "Mhm. He was Jin-chan's fiance." He shifted awkwardly, beginning to frown a bit. "To me, he was like a brother. Like Jin-chan is."

"Was?" Kakashi's stomach sank as he remembered the sad way in which Jin always mentioned Raizo.

"Yes." Hakaru had to take a moment to compose himself before continuing, wiping at the tears welling up in his eyes. "Raizo-chan was murdered. By Hoshigaki Kisame. Jin-chan told me what happened, and...he feels really guilty about it even though it wasn't his fault that Raizo-chan died…"

Suddenly, it clicked. It was no wonder that Jin, under the guise of Kita Kaze had gone after Kisame so viciously and had been so against letting him escape. Though he would never admit, his heart ached for Jin. Having suffered his own tragic losses, he understood what Jin must've been going through.

"Raizo-chan died protecting Jin-chan...I was told that Raizo-chan took a blow that was meant for Jin-chan." Hakaru kept wiping at his eyes, trying to stop the tears that were beginning to fall now.

Kakashi's mind flashed back to when Jin, as Kita Kaze, had leapt in front of him and had taken a blow that would most certainly have killed him had he not been protected. "Then...then is that why...no. Why did Jin take a blow that was meant for me when he was so focused on vengeance…?" He couldn't fathom why Jin had protected him when vengeance was in sight.

"Eh? He did that? Is that how…" Hakaru trailed off, red-rimmed eyes widening. His blind eyes stared blankly in Kakashi's direction as he realized that the worst of Jin's wounds had to have come from protecting Kakashi. "I spent hours making sure he wouldn't die…"

Kakashi was up in an instant, realizing that Jin must be in serious condition, even though he'd been acting normally after taking that blow. He turned and rushed back to his room, carefully leaning over Jin and checking to make sure he was still breathing. When he saw that he was okay, he managed to relax, the tightness that had formed in his chest easing. "Why…?"

"He...he really likes you. You make him happy, and he was doing so much better until he started doubting himself again and until Hoshigaki showed up again…" Hakaru said from the doorway, voice cracking as he struggled to keep from crying. "You make him really happy…he was probably scared of losing you, too..."

Glancing up at Hakaru, Kakashi frowned beneath his mask. He looked back down at Jin's sleeping face and let out a small sigh. "Why…?" He brushed aside a strand of hair out of Jin's face, noting that it was getting longer.

"Why what? Why do you make him happy? Or why is he doubting himself again?" Hakaru asked, rubbing fiercely at his eyes and coming to stand next to Kakashi. "He's okay now. He won't die unless he gets sick or an infection now. I'm keeping an eye on him, but...he lost a lot of blood this time…"

"Both." Kakashi gently ran his fingers through Jin's hair when he noticed the pained expression on his sleeping face. He sat down next to him, careful not to wake him.

"Hm...well, I think you make Jin-chan happy just by being so supportive of him. You've noticed he's got a lot of quirks and fears, right? I think it helps that you don't invalidate those fears of his. As for why he's doubting himself again...well, that's a bit of a story. Are you up for it?" Despite the way he acted, and had been pretending to speak before, Hakaru was rather eloquent when he spoke.

Kakashi considered Hakaru's words, wondering if that could really be true. "Yes, but...you look exhausted. You should get some sleep first."

"Ah, no. It's better that I tell you this while Jin is sleeping so deeply. He won't be happy that I'm telling you, but I think it might help you understand him better. And you can reassure him, too." Hakaru plopped down on the floor and crossed his legs.

"If he's not going to be happy about it, then maybe you shouldn't say anything…" Kakashi trailed off, seeing that Hakaru was already shaking his head.

"He doesn't get a choice anymore. I'm tired of him moping." Hakaru huffed and stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "Anyway, he's scared that you won't like him anymore if you find out about all the things he's done. He wouldn't listen to me when I told him that you're not that shallow, and that what he's done...hasn't all been his fault and also that the good he's done outweighs the bad."

"What do you mean?" Kakashi frowned at Hakaru, wondering what Jin could have done to make him so scared that he wouldn't be liked if the truth was known.

"Ah, well, I suppose it started when he couldn't save his little brother. It wasn't his fault, but he feels really guilty about not being able to protect him. I don't have any details, but…" It was something that Hakaru hadn't wanted to ask about, for fear of crossing Jin's boundaries. He had only found out when Raizo had mentioned Kaoru.

"I see…"

"And barely a year after Kaoru's death, Jin-chan was graduating from Kiri's academy, and…" Hakaru paused, hesitant. "You know of the graduation exam that was outlawed after Zabuza-chan devastated an entire class, yes?"

A chill ran down Kakashi's spine as he realized where Hakaru was going with this. "Yes, I'm familiar with it…"

"Jin-chan graduated the year before Zabuza-chan did, and...well, he was forced to fight his closest friend when he graduated." Hakaru paused, twiddling his thumbs anxiously.

"I understand what happened." Kakashi said softly, his heart aching for Jin. For a moment his thoughts drifted to Rin and the way his hands never seemed to be clean of her blood. The panic that always accompanied thoughts of her struck like lightning, distracting him until Hakaru broke him out of his reverie.

"I've heard that he was really brutal with it. Jin-chan had a lot of anger back then, but I know he feels guilty about killing his friend." Hakaru's voice was soft and sad. "I'm sure you've seen it, but Jin-chan uses sign language in honor of that friend. His friend was deaf; he taught him sign language."

"I see…but that doesn't make him a monster." Both parties involved were victims of circumstance, the tragic outcome a result of Kiri's cruelty.

Deciding to skip the part Jin had mentioned about the girl he had failed to save during the war he'd fought in because he knew so little about what happened, Hakaru dove right into the next part that he knew.

"Long after that, he ended up killing his teacher, and stealing that technique he used today." Hakaru shuddered as he remembered those events, having been there himself to witness it.

Sensing that something was off with Hakaru, Kakashi leaned forward. "Hakaru?"

"Jin-chan's former teacher caught me out alone one night...and recognized me…" Hakaru's voice caught in his throat for a moment, as he remembered what happened next. "He tried to rape me, but...but Jin-chan...got there before...before he could do much. He told me that I reminded him of how Jin-chan was when...when he was younger…"

Kakashi was up in a moment, going to Hakaru's side and sitting down close to him. "You're safe now." He had recognized the expression that Jin had after Koichi had tried to rape him back in the Land of Water.

Hakaru leaned against Kakashi, plopping his head against his shoulder. "You're like a big brother, too."

It warmed Kakashi's heart and pierced it with fear that Hakaru thought of him like that, memories of just about everyone he loved leaving him because he couldn't keep them safe. He didn't want to see any of the new friends or his team meet the same fate that everyone else had before them. "Thank you, Hakaru…"

Hakaru nodded slightly, sighing. "Anyway, Jin-chan got there in time and killed him. He told Mizukage-sama, and considering the circumstances, she put the blame on Kita Kaze, so that Jin-chan wouldn't have to face the stares and names the others would call him. He still feels guilty about what he had to do, even though it was justified. I think that's part of why he's so set on becoming the sanbi's host."

Realizing what he'd let slip, Hakaru froze. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone about that particular thing, because it would put Jin in danger, but...this was Kakashi, and Kakashi wouldn't do a thing to harm Jin...right?

It was a moment before Kakashi registered what Hakaru had said, his heart seeming to seize for a moment. The sanbi was what the Mist had sealed inside Rin shortly before she had forced him to take her life.

Sensing the change in atmosphere, Hakaru panicked, sitting bolt upright. "He wants to make sure that no one can ever be used as a weapon again with the sanbi! He said he doesn't want to let what happened to the leaf girl happen to anyone else again!" He babbled frantically, voice rising in a crescendo. "Please don't tell anyone about this! Jin-chan could be in a lot of danger if anyone else finds out!"

Kakashi didn't answer right away, trying to process all of what Hakaru had said. Jin had known Rin, had known what his village was planning to use her for?

"Raizo-chan said Jin-chan was beaten so badly that he didn't wake up for days when he tried to help the girl and he feels so guilty about it that he wants to make sure no one else ends up like her!" Hakaru was hyperventilating now, scared that something bad would happen to the person he was closest with.

"He...what?" Confused and conflicted as he was now, he figured that asking Jin directly would be better than sending Hakaru into a panic. "Never mind. I'll talk to him myself. I'm not going to tell anyone what you told me…"

Hakaru took a few moments to calm down, sniffling. "R-really…?"

"Yes, really…" Kakashi heaved a sigh, glancing up at Jin, who remained sleeping. "You should rest now. You've exhausted yourself…"

"I can't...I have to keep an eye on Jin-chan to make sure he stays alright...he's especially susceptible to illness and infection right now…" Hakaru sniffled, rubbing at his nose.

"I'll keep an eye on him. What should I look out for?" Kakashi offered, sighing.

Hakaru listed off all the symptoms Kakashi would need to look out for, yawning in the process. Once he had done that, he got up slowly. "Come get me if he displays any of those signs…"

Kakashi stood up, nodding. "I will. Go rest. You did well today." He watched Hakaru stumble off to the other room.

Alone now with just his thoughts and the sleeping Jin, he sat down on the bed to keep an eye on him.

Unable to sleep, he tried to collect his thoughts.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Wow, this chapter is long. I hope you enjoy it! I got this one out much sooner than the last chapter, so hopefully the next chapter will be out even sooner! There's a lot that happened in this chapter, so I hope it's not too much for one sitting. Anyway, thank you so much for continuing to read, and I hoped you're ready for rest of the story! This is nowhere near the end, so expect more good stuff to come!**

 **wyattharto8: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you like this one, too! Also, thank you for your concern! I'm doing much better now and hope to have the next chapter out sooner than this one! Thanks for reading!**

 **Trisana: I'm so glad you enjoyed the kiss scene! It was so much fun to write! (Look forward to more in the future!) And yes, I doubt they would ever admit that they ever went on a date, hehe, but that's really what it was. And man, Jin's parents really are awful and pretty much do deserve what's coming to them! Yes, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi have come into play, and they will certainly play a part in the chapters to come, so keep a lookout for them! I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one, too! Certainly much darker than the last one, I must say...thanks again for reading!**

 **Once again, thank you all for reading! Feel free to leave a review! I'm happy to hear your thoughts! Look forward to the next chapter!**


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

" _Do you think I'm a monster?" Kotaro's voice was soft, in the way that it was for Yoshihisa alone._

" _Hm? Of course not! Why would you think such a thing?" Yoshihisa lifted his head from Kotaro's shoulder, frowning at him with wide amber eyes._

" _My hands are stained with the blood of a thousand, if not more. Men, women, and children alike. Guilty and innocent. If that does not make me a monster, then what would?"_

" _Kotaro, did you enjoy taking those lives? Did you do it only for your entertainment or the entertainment of others?"_

" _Of course not! But I have tainted my soul past the point that most would not dare to do, Yoshihisa. I do not want to taint your beautiful hands with my own, my own that have known only death and destruction. Yoshihisa, I do not wish to taint you. You are far, far too beautiful for someone like me to ever truly have you." Kotaro looked away from Yoshihisa, frowning. "No, to ever be with you, is what I mean." He corrected._

" _Well, if your hands are tainted with all that you've done, then I'll just have to wash them clean." Yoshihisa reached over and took Kotaro's large hands in his own smaller ones. "Kotaro, you are a gentle man; a gentle man that soothes the fears and nightmares of one not strong enough to protect himself; a gentle man that braids the hair of orphans in their times of needs; a man that cries when the old cat living in the servants' quarters passes away peacefully in his sleep. It is the very reason that I have given you my heart."_

 _Kotaro went rigid. Was this a confession? At the same time his heart sang with joy, it also felt as if someone had jabbed a kunai into his heart and twisted the blade._

" _Thank you, Yoshihisa. You are truly a kind soul…" Kotaro reached up and placed his hand Yoshihisa's cheek until someone cleared their throat at them._

" _Hey, y'know if you get caught doing that, sweet little Azusa will tear out your eyeballs, right?" Mischievous eyes that beamed like the sun peered at them. "But you needn't worry! I, Amaterasu, the sun to Tsukuyomi's moon, will not let your secret out! I only ask for one thing in exchange!"_

" _I haven't a clue what you're talking about." Kotaro deadpanned, deciding that it was better his own feelings went unspoken when he could only see tragedy in their future._

" _Oh, honey, don't even try it. I see all, and I know what's to become of you." Amaterasu was only half exaggerating. While her visions of the future were true and could potentially be shifted, they came only when the world most desperately needed her guidance, and even then only in flashes and glances._

 _Kotaro ignored her. "What do you want?"_

" _Ah yes, I almost lost track of what I was gonna say. What I want in exchange...hm...let's see...ah, perhaps a passionate night with the lovely heir to this beautiful country?" Amaterasu was, of course, joking. She had Tsukuyomi, after all._

" _Ah, please don't joke about things like that…" Yoshihisa put his hands on Kotaro's shoulder, noticing his murderous expression. "Kotaro, it's okay. I'm not into women. And besides...my heart already belongs to somebody else."_

" _Sheesh, Kotaro, don't get your panties in a bunch! I'm not gonna take your man. And anyway, I have a woman of my own." Amaterasu rolled her eyes when Kotaro refused to stop glaring at her. "That was a joke. But I do have a real request for you."_

" _Tell us what it is, and then leave." Tired of her games, Kotaro was becoming impatient._

" _Man, ordering around a goddess like you're all that! How bold; how brave!" Amaterasu huffed, making a face at the pair of them._

" _You may share the same name as the goddess of the sun, but you cannot be her. You're so...obnoxious. The real Amaterasu would not flaunt whatever talents she may have." Kotaro didn't seem to have a problem talking back to a self-proclaimed goddess._

" _Oh? And what would you know about something like that? You're not a god, so don't you dare claim to know anything about us." As if in response to her anger, the heat from the sun began to scorch._

" _Amaterasu? What's the matter?" Tsukuyomi stepped outside, flinching at the heat bearing down on them. "Amaterasu, calm down before you burn everything to a crisp!"_

 _Hearing Tsukuyomi's voice, Amaterasu immediately snapped out of her anger. "Sorry. That jerk is just mocking me."_

" _I see…" Tsukuyomi turned to Kotaro, frowning gravely. "Please do not mock my sun. It's very rude."_

 _The heat did not begin to fade back to normal until Kotaro gave a slight nod. "That conversation was going nowhere anyway. What is it that you wanted to say to me?"_

" _I was going to tell you not to lose hope, no matter what happens, and to trust in us. I ask nothing in return, except that you treat me like the absolutely gorgeous goddess that I am. I know it'll be hard, what with your attitude and all, but it's very important that you treat me with the respect that I deserve." Amaterasu puffed her chest out and began to strut around like a peacock. "See? I know you guys aren't at all into pretty women like I am, but god, even you two must be able to appreciate how absolutely perfect I am."_

 _Tsukuyomi shook her head the moment Kotaro opened his mouth to say whatever snarky comment had come to mind. She knew that it was better not to question Amaterasu when she was admiring herself as such._

" _You're right, you are absolutely beautiful." Yoshihisa complimented, smiling gently. "While you are not my type, I can appreciate your beauty. You are simply radiant, like the sun." He was definitely laying it on thick, as if trying to smooth over the argument between her and Kotaro._

" _Yeah, sure, what he said." Kotaro grumbled, rolling his eyes._

 _Amaterasu beamed, shaking her rear in Tsukuyomi's direction. "See! Everyone can appreciate my beauty! Come on, Tsukuyomi! I want you to 'appreciate' my beauty if you know what I mean!" She glanced back and winked._

 _Tsukuyomi went red, her face resembling a tomato. "O-okay…" She mumbled, snatching Amaterasu's hand and pulling her along back into the palace._

 _Once they were gone, Yoshihisa turned to Kotaro with wide eyes. "Are they gonna-"_

" _Yes." Kotaro replied before Yoshihisa could finish his question._

 _Yoshihisa glanced back in the direction that Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi had left in and went bright red._

* * *

For three long days, Jin drifted in and out of consciousness, having succumbed to fever and infection in his weakened state. Even when he _was_ conscious, everything was hazy and blurred so badly that he would not be able to recall what anyone said, despite hearing voices nearby.

His fever broke on the third night, and when he woke a few hours after that, Jin was greeted with the sound of a familiar voice speaking his name, who hadn't seemed to realize that his fever had finally broken.

"Jin...I don't care about what you've done in the past, or might do in the future. I don't care that you want to become a jinchuuriki, or that you couldn't help Rin, or that you're Kita Kaze. I don't care that you're from Kiri and that we may one day have to fight each other if things go bad." Kakashi paused, breath hitching in his throat. "I don't want to lose another friend. I don't want to lose you, so please...please wake up; please be okay, Jin…"

Heart nearly stopping with the realization that Kakashi had somehow found out more about him, Jin slowly opened his sleep-heavy eyes. He couldn't believe that Kakashi had somehow found out more about him, and for a moment he was scared. Kakashi seemed to know things about him that could jeopardize his life if any got out, but...this was Kakashi, and Kakashi wouldn't go spouting information like this off to people.

Kakashi was leaned over the bed, grasping one of Jin's hands in both of his gently. He didn't seem to realize that Jin had opened his eyes. Though his face wasn't visible, the way he was slumped over the bed and the exhaustion in his voice made it obvious that he hadn't slept at all.

Jin reached up with his free hand slowly, so weak that at first he thought he would not be able to. But he managed to reach out to Kakashi, hand trembling with the effort it took. Very carefully, he placed his hand on Kakashi's cheek.

"I'm...okay." Jin whispered hoarsely, watching as Kakashi's head jerked up at his touch. He reached for Kakashi's face again, resting the palm of his hand flat against Kakashi's cheek.

For a moment, Kakashi didn't dare move, as if fearing that he was imagining this. For once, everything he was feeling was very clear to Jin; the way his visible eye was widened and red rimmed, as if he were about to cry; the way his jaw seemed to tremble beneath Jin's touch, as if he were struggling to find the right words to say.

Jin ran his thumb across Kakashi's cheekbone slowly, focusing all his attention on him. He found that he was so tired that he couldn't bring himself to worry about what Kakashi may or may not know. It was just a relief to know that he was okay after the battle with the Akatsuki members that had ambushed them. It made him happy to know that he hadn't failed this time in protecting someone that he cared about.

"You…" For a moment, Kakashi remained speechless. "You're awake."

"Mm...that's debatable, I think…" Jin murmured, a tired smile crossing his face. Slowly, unable to hold it in place anymore, he lowered his hand from Kakashi's face to his hands.

Kakashi stared at Jin for a while, his eye wide as if he wasn't sure what he wanted to say first and as if he could hardly believe that Jin was actually awake.

Finally, he managed to choke out the most pressing question. "How do you feel…?" He let go of one of Jin's hands in favor of placing it on his forehead to check his temperature. Thankfully, it was clear that his fever had broken.

"Tired. Sore. Kinda like someone set my stomach on fire." Jin replied honestly, slowly reaching down to the significantly smaller wound on his abdomen, where he'd taken the blow for Kakashi. It was likely that it was severely infected, with his immune system having been destroyed as a side effect of the technique he had used.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile faintly beneath his mask at his comment. His amusement faded shortly after, knowing the seriousness of the situation.

"Don't ever do that again." He said before properly thinking through what he wanted to say. "Don't...don't put yourself at risk for me like that ever again. I can take care of myself."

Jin frowned, taking a moment to form his thoughts. "I know you can take care of yourself. But...I want to take care of you, too. I wasn't about to let you get hurt because I couldn't control my temper. I know of that one's reputation, and what would have happened had you been hit by that scythe of his…"

"Jin, it's not worth it. Don't ever do that again." Kakashi repeated, leaving what he really meant unspoken; ' _I don't want to lose you.'_

"...Kakashi, you don't get to decide what I do in my life. I wanted to protect you." Jin took a moment to brace himself before carefully pushing himself into a sitting position.

Agony tore through his abdomen, and he couldn't help but hunch over. A painful, wet cough escaped his lips. He sat like that for several moments until the pain and cough both faded, hardly noticing when Kakashi put a hand on his back for support.

"Jin…please. Just listen to me when I tell you not to do that again. Please." Kakashi sat very still, rigid and scared that Jin was hurting himself just by sitting up. "Lay back down...you're hurting yourself."

"Kakashi, no. Can't you just say what you really mean? Can't you just…" Jin began to cough violently again, trembling like a leaf. His breaths rasped in his throat as the coughing subsided again, and he let out a small sigh. "Please consider how I must have felt when I saw what might happen to you. Please understand that even though we haven't known each other for long yet, I can't lose you, too. _Won't_ lose you."

Kakashi froze, startled to hear his own thoughts echoed back at him. "Jin…" He didn't know whether it was surprise or exhaustion that kept him from properly responding back to him.

Jin waited for a few moments until he was certain that he wouldn't have another coughing fit, and then slowly shifted closer to Kakashi. He carefully slid his legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the pain to the best of his ability.

Hesitant in his actions, Jin leaned closer to Kakashi and wrapped his shaking arms around him slowly. He rested his chin on Kakashi's shoulder and sighed softly. "...you're shaking, Kakashi."

Kakashi didn't answer, instead just wrapping his arms around Jin securely, as if at any moment he would disappear if he did not hold onto him. He didn't want to show Jin this kind of weakness, but...he couldn't help it. He had almost lost Jin, and the realization of it was crashing down on him again. He couldn't lose anyone else.

"It's okay, Kakashi. I'm okay. You're okay. We're both okay now. We're safe. No one can hurt us here, I promise." Jin whispered soothingly, reaching one hand up slowly to run his fingers through Kakashi's hair gently. He relaxed completely in his arms, letting down his guard completely.

"You...you could've died…" Kakashi whispered, closing his eyes and very hesitantly pressing his face against Jin's neck, not yet realizing how relaxed Jin was around him as compared to when they had first met.

"But I didn't. I'm here." Jin whispered, waiting until Kakashi loosened his grip enough for him to take one of his hands. "Here, see. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." He gently pulled Kakashi's hand to his chest, laying it flat over his heart so that Kakashi could feel it beating.

Kakashi let Jin do as he wished, focus on the steady beating of his heart; proof that Jin really was alive and recovering. It was enough to calm him down a little.

"See? We're both okay." Jin sighed softly. "I'm sorry I scared you. But it scared _me_ when I saw what was happening, and what could have happened to you had I not acted. And if I had it to do over again...I wouldn't change a thing; I would still take that blow for you."

"Why…? Why would you go so far for me…?" Kakashi asked softly, unable to keep from tightening his grip around Jin.

"Because you have been so kind to me, so gentle with me. You've never judged me for what I've done in the past. Because you've been a kind and loyal friend. Because I can trust you, and you trust me. Because I've grown attached to you, and the thought of losing someone so precious and dear to me was absolutely unbearable." Jin's voice grew softer as he spoke, softer and hesitant, knowing full well that Kakashi could feel the way his heart had begun to race.

Kakashi pulled away just enough to look at Jin, surprise clear in the way his eye widened. "Jin…"

Before Kakashi could say much more than that, Jin interrupted him. "That's why I did what I did. Please understand." He paused for a moment before changing the subject. "How long have you been up? You look exhausted."

"I haven't slept. Not since I've been watching over you. You've been out for three days with a fever, and infection. Hakaru has been working himself half to death trying to get rid of it." Kakashi replied softly, reaching up and brushing a stray strand of hair out of Jin's tired face.

"Kakashi! No wonder you look so exhausted. Come on, lie down. You need to rest." Jin let go of Kakashi and pulled his legs back up onto the bed, carefully scooting over to the other side of the bed. Then he reached over and grabbed Kakashi by his hands, pulling on them.

"You look worse than I do." Kakashi replied softly, but did as Jin said, slowly slipping under the covers next to him.

Automatically, Jin shifted closer. He reached out and very gently removed the headband that covered his other eye. He frowned at the dark bruise above Kakashi's eye, and the blood he had yet to clean from a cut just above that. "Kakashi…"

"I'm okay." Kakashi promised softly, eyes closing as soon as his head hit the pillow. "Don't worry about me."

"How can I not? You're hurt, and you haven't even cleaned yourself up." Jin rested his head next to Kakashi's, watching him quietly.

"I didn't want to leave your side. I remember you didn't want to be left alone when you were poisoned. I didn't want you to wake up alone and get scared."

Jin stared at Kakashi for several moments, watching as he slowly opened one eye. "Thank you." He whispered, shifting closer. He could hardly believe that Kakashi had remembered such a little thing about him. It was enough to push him over the metaphorical ledge he'd been looking over, and now he was falling, falling, falling for Kakashi more than before.

"Of course." Kakashi whispered back, reaching his gloved hand up and placed it on Jin's cheek gently. "You were so scared then, and I don't want to see you scared like that again. I prefer your smile."

Of course, that sentence alone was enough to make Jin _actually_ smile. He reached up to take Kakashi's hand in his own, and carefully took off the glove Kakashi still wore. "Thank you, Kakashi, but now I think it's time for you to sleep. I'm exhausted, too…"

"Not just yet…" Kakashi replied, caressing Jin's cheek gently with his thumb. He gently touched every part of Jin's face, carefully running his fingers over the painful bruises and the almost healed claws marks that Ran had left on his pretty face. He leaned in slowly, pressing his forehead gently against Jin's. Ever so gently, he ran his thumb along Jin's bottom lip, his gaze following the same path his thumb had.

"Kakashi, I have no problem with you admiring my face, but you've been awake for three days, so please…" Jin didn't get to finish speaking, because Kakashi pulled his mask down and leaned in so close that their lips met in a hesitant kiss.

Jin couldn't help but melt at his touch, though he was certain that Kakashi had no idea what he was doing in his sleep deprived state.

Kakashi's lips were chapped and raw, as if he had been biting them, but they felt perfect against his own as Jin very slowly returned the kiss. He closed his eyes slowly, inching closer until he could wrap one arm around him securely.

Jin was the first to pull away, recognizing that Kakashi was completely out of it. "Kakashi, go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up; I promise. I'll be here while you sleep." He did not protest when Kakashi wrapped both arms around him tightly, as if he were scared of losing him.

Jin tucked his head against Kakashi's neck, closing his eyes to sleep. He was certain that for once in his life, he would sleep through the entire night.

* * *

Cold sunlight shone through the curtains over the window, dragging Jin from the depths of sleep. Violet eyes opened a fraction, only to close a moment later because the sun was entirely too bright for him to deal with when he was snuggled against someone so warm.

For a moment, Jin's thoughts drifted to Raizo. He hoped that he wouldn't be angry at him for falling for someone else. He hoped dearly that wherever Raizo's soul had gone to, he was happy and safe.

Jin knew he was going to have to discuss this change in dynamics between them with Kakashi, especially after the night before. Kakashi had kissed him, and Jin had kissed him right back.

He was hesitant to allow them to become anything more than friends because they both came from separate villages that were still on uneasy terms because of the previous Mizukages that had led to Kiri's bloody namesake.

There was also the chance that one of them could die in battle at any given time, and neither of them would likely be able to handle the loss if something like that should happen. Not to mention the fact that Jin would have to leave sometime in the future to become the sanbi's host.

Jin let out a small sigh and opened his eyes again to watch Kakashi sleep. He was completely relaxed, and there was something vulnerable about his expression that Jin noticed.

Kakashi seemed to have become as comfortable around him as Jin had with him. It was something that made Jin happy, his heart melting once more.

It made Jin as happy as he'd been the night Kakashi had first kissed him, over a week ago. Though he was frightened of starting any sort of romantic relationship again because of the way his last relationship had ended, it was also for precisely that reason that he wouldn't mind diving right in.

After all, who knew when their last days would be? Jin didn't want to regret not following his heart when it was so clearly drawn to Kakashi.

With a sigh, Jin closed his eyes and tucked his face against Kakashi's neck again, enjoying the feeling of being so close to him; the feeling of someone holding him as gently as if he were made of glass.

Kakashi was really the only one who had ever treated him this gently. His clients when he worked as a courtesan had always treated him as an object to be used, and then tossed aside when his services were no longer wanted. Raizo had always tried to be gentle with him, but he had never been taught how to actually be gentle.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was always careful with him. He always considered how Jin felt and always took care not to cross his boundaries. And when Kakashi touched him...it was always so gently that he almost wanted to cry. Kakashi treated him as if he were the most precious thing in the world to him and never asked for a single thing in return.

As Jin dozed off, he couldn't help but wonder what he'd done to deserve someone treating him so kindly. It was enough to make him wonder if perhaps the remnants of his heart could be patched back together. It was a nice thought, at least.

Jin jerked back into wakefulness a while later when Kakashi shifted. He opened his eyes and glanced up at Kakashi slowly to watch him.

Kakashi reached up slowly and ran his fingers through Jin's hair, and he slowly opened his eyes to watch Jin.

"Morning." Jin whispered, staring into Kakashi's oh-so-beautiful mismatched eyes.

It seemed to take Kakashi a moment to register Jin's greeting. "You're really okay…" His eyes widened for a moment, and he tightened his arms around Jin, pushing his face into his hair. "I thought it was a dream...I thought…"

"Kakashi, it's okay. I promised you I'd be okay and that I'd be here when you woke. I'm okay." Jin spoke softly, gently rubbing Kakashi's back to soothe him. "It's okay now, I promise."

Kakashi pulled away for a moment to stare at Jin. He ran his hand over Jin's face to make sure this was really happening, that Jin was really okay. "You're really awake...I...I thought you...I thought you were going to die. You were so sick…"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I scared you." Jin whispered, reaching up to take Kakashi's wandering hand in his own. He squeezed it gently and pressed his forehead against Kakashi's, their noses touching ever so slightly.

"Please...just...just don't ever do that again. I can't…" Kakashi took a moment to steady his breath, finding comfort in their closeness and the gentle violet eyes that stared into his own. "I can't lose you, too."

"How can I not, when I'm quite certain that you would do the same for me? How can you ask me not to protect you when I have the chance to do so? How can you ask me to let you die without considering how I might feel about it?" Jin whispered, squeezing Kakashi's hand again. "I can't lose you, either."

"Jin…" It seemed as if Kakashi couldn't find the words to argue with him, though he certainly tried to come up with _something._

"Kakashi, I'm gonna say anything more on this matter, except that I'll be more careful next time." Jin sighed softly. "We can talk about things after we've cleaned ourselves up. There's a lot that we need to talk about, but we both stink."

Carefully, he disentangled himself from Kakashi and sat up. A jolt of pain ripped through Jin's abdomen. He hunched over, clutching at his wound. It throbbed painfully, rendering him temporarily paralyzed until the pain faded. It seemed as if he had moved the wrong way too fast.

"Jin!" Kakashi sat up quickly, wrapping one arm around his shoulders to soothe him. "Sit still. You're okay."

Leaning into Kakashi's touch, Jin waited until the pain began to fade. "Thank you." He whispered hoarsely, sitting completely still.

"Sit still for a moment longer. I'll help you." Kakashi got up, making sure Jin sat still while he grabbed clothes for both of them. He left the room for a few moments, coming back empty handed.

"Kakashi, what are you doing? I can shower on my own...I'll be alright. You should rest for a while longer." Jin protested when Kakashi came to his side, helping him to his feet.

"And what are you going to do if you slip? I can't let you hurt yourself." Kakashi slipped an arm around Jin's waist and helped him out of the room to the bathroom. "At least let me do this for you."

"...fine." Jin grumbled, letting Kakashi help him into the bathroom. He leaned against the counter as Kakashi closed the door and went to turn the shower on.

Kakashi stripped down to a pair of shorts, taking care not to overextend his wounded shoulder in the process. Then he gently helped Jin do the same, pretending not to notice the way his face flushed. "I'm not going to do anything to you." He promised, wanting to reassure Jin that he wasn't going to treat him any way that he didn't like.

"I know. I trust you." Jin took Kakashi's hand and limped over to the shower with his help, after removing the heavy bandaging around his wounds. He stepped into the tub carefully and shifted over to give Kakashi room to get in.

Kakashi turned his back on Jin, pretending as if Jin wasn't there for the moment. "What is that you wanted to discuss, Jin?"

Jin frowned, glancing up at Kakashi from examining the state of his wound. "First...I wanted to know how you found out about me. How you found out that I'm to be the sanbi's host, and that I'm Kita Kaze."

"Hakaru told me. He told me everything. About Raizo. About how you protected him. About Rin and the sanbi and what you tried to do." Kakashi spoke quietly.

"I see. I'm not surprised. He's not the best at keeping secrets sometimes." Jin paused for a moment. "Who's Rin?"

"She...she was a teammate, a friend, of mine. She was captured by Mist shinobi and had the sanbi sealed inside her. She ki...I had to kill her." Kakashi answered softly. Even though it had been her own choice to throw herself into his chidori, he felt that he may as well have killed her in cold blood. Either way, some days it still felt as if he had her blood on his hands.

Jin felt the world sway around him as he remembered the day he'd tried to help the leaf kunoichi escape. He had only found out about the plan when the girl had been captured, and it had sickened him.

"Kakashi, I'm sorry. It's my fault. I didn't know about the plan until she was captured." He whispered, watching water stream off his nose. "I tried to help her escape, but I was caught. I watched them seal it inside her; watched them chase her off. I broke free and killed the one that sealed the sanbi in her, but...it was too late."

"It wasn't your fault. She chose the way she wanted to die." Kakashi's voice cracked.

Jin wanted to comfort Kakashi, but he didn't know what he could do. It was a terrible burden to bear, he could definitely understand. He drew in a deep breath before speaking. "I chose to become the host to the sanbi so that something like that would never happen again. I chose that fate so that no one has to go through something like that again."

"Don't do it, Jin." Kakashi whispered, glancing over at him slowly. "Please." It was safe to assume that he was afraid of history repeating itself.

"Kakashi, if not me, then who? An orphan that no one cares about? A shinobi that would not be able to return to their home after becoming its host? An old woman who has twenty great grandchildren?" Jin avoided Kakashi's gaze. "I'd rather make that sacrifice so that no one else has to. I know that I'll be okay, and that the sanbi won't be able to control me."

"Jin, please." Kakashi turned to face him completely, placing his hands on his shoulders gently. "Don't do it."

"I'm sorry, but this discussion is closed for now. You can't change my mind." Jin whispered, cutting Kakashi off when he tried to interrupt until he had to give in.

"Fine; for now." Kakashi turned away again, to hide his expression. "What was the other thing you wanted to discuss?"

"Ah...that…" Jin paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to approach the subject. "You kissed me last night. I think we need to discuss our relationship, especially if you're going to keep kissing me like that."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cross your boundaries like that. I shouldn't have done that, especially without asking you first. It won't happen again." Kakashi's voice was carefully empty of emotion, as if he were trying hard not to let Jin know how he actually felt.

"You don't have to apologize." It was hard for Jin to find the right words and he was scared of how Kakashi would react to what he had to say. "I like you. A lot, and I like it when you kiss me. I like the way your hand feels in mine, and I like it when you hold me close. I like it when you touch my face so gently. But...if you don't feel the same way as I do, then I'm perfectly okay with just being friends. I...just don't want to be jerked around. I want to know where I stand with you."

Kakashi was so startled that he nearly slipped in the tub. He put his hand on the wall to keep himself from falling, and slowly turned to face Jin again. "What?" He asked softly.

"Are you going to make me repeat myself?" Jin asked away, avoiding eye contact. "I like you. A lot."

Kakashi knew how easy it would be to lie; to tell Jin that he didn't feel the same, but...he couldn't keep anything from Jin anymore. "I...like you, too, but...it wouldn't work out. My hands can only do harm, and I don't want to end up hurting you."

After Rin's death by his hands, Kakashi did not believe that he was really capable of anything except causing harm. To him, it was inevitable that he would end up hurting Jin, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Kakashi...what are you talking about?" Jin didn't understand how he could think that, especially with how gently he had always treated him.

"I've only ever hurt people. I...don't want to hurt you, too." Kakashi looked away from him.

"...do you trust me, Kakashi?" When Kakashi nodded hesitantly, Jin held out his hands. "Give me your hands."

"Why…?" Kakashi reluctantly placed his hands in Jin's, frowning when he took his wrists instead of his hands.

"How can you say you only ever hurt people when you've treated me so gently?" Jin asked in a whisper, bringing Kakashi's hands up to the scar on his shoulder that Kakashi had bandaged for him.

"Jin…?"

"How can you say that when you've bandaged my wounds so gently?" Jin brought Kakashi's hands to the claw marks that Ran had left along his collarbone, and then to the claw marks on his cheek.

Kakashi didn't speak this time, instead letting Jin move his hands around.

Jin finally brought Kakashi's hands down around his throat, holding them there gently. "How can you say that when _you_ were the one to take off the collar Koichi put on me, so gently as if you were afraid I would break against your touch? How can you say that when you have always comforted me, always soothed my fears with your touches?"

Kakashi stared at Jin with wide eyes, surprised by the trust he was putting in him by letting his hands rest around his vulnerable throat. Was what Jin told him really true? Was it actually possibly for him not to hurt him, as he so feared he might.

"You have done nothing but treat me as if I'm the most precious thing to you. I know that you'll never hurt me. I trust you." Jin let go of Kakashi's wrists and placed his hands on his cheeks instead to make sure Kakashi couldn't look away from him. "Your hands are soft and gentle."

Ever so slowly, Jin pulled Kakashi's face closer until their foreheads touched. He smiled faintly, shy and hesitant.

"You have never once made me hate myself. You have always accepted me for who I am, and never treated me as if I'm less than when I'm in the midst of a panic attack. You have never pressured me into anything. You have made me happier than I've been for a long time." Jin whispered softly, his eyes never leaving Kakashi's.

Kakashi slid his hands up into Jin's wet hair, intertwining his fingers in it gently. "Jin…" He seemed to be having trouble forming proper words.

"I know this is a scary thing. I'm scared of the future, scared of what might come. But...I'm more scared of regretting never telling you how I feel. I have a lot of regrets already, and I don't want this to be one of them. Even if you don't feel the same way, at least I won't regret not telling you. I'm happy with just being your friend." Jin blinked water out his eyes and studied Kakashi's eyes, as if memorizing every tiny detail.

Before Kakashi could speak, Jin pulled away and took Kakashi's hands again. He stared down at them and smiled. After a moment, he let go of his hands and sat down on the edge of the tub slowly, stretching out his bad leg. It had become painful to stand on and he needed to rest it for a moment.

After a moment's thought, Kakashi sat next to Jin. He was silent for several moments, processing all that Jin had told him.

"You don't have to answer right away. I just wanted to get that off my chest…" Jin stretched out his leg slowly, flinching at the pain that came from his leg having stiffened up after he had strained it.

"Stop talking. You've been doing all of the talking, and it's my turn." Kakashi glanced at Jin, gently cupping his face with both hands. He leaned so close that their lips almost touched. "May I?"

Startled, Jin could do nothing but nod slowly. He sat very still as Kakashi closed the distance between their lips and slid one hand into his wet hair. Jin returned the kiss hesitantly, reaching his arms up and around Kakashi's neck. He was careful not to brush against Kakashi's wounded shoulder, worried that he might hurt him.

Jin pulled away first when the water finally began to grow cold. "We should get out before we freeze." He whispered, not wanting to let go of Kakashi.

"First, I want to say…" Kakashi hesitated for a moment. "I...I would like to try this out. Us, I mean. Being together. If...you'll really have me."

Jin couldn't wipe the smile off his face. "Of course, I'll have you." He was certain that his face was beet red, but he didn't care right now.

Kakashi got up, and helped Jin to his feet carefully. He turned the shower off, and helped Jin out, grabbing both of their towels for them.

For the first time in a long time, Jin was completely relaxed. He felt at home, here in Konoha with Kakashi. More so than he had ever felt back in the Land of Water.

It was strange how so much had changed for him in such a short amount of time, but it wasn't a bad strange. In fact, he felt as if he could get used to this.

* * *

" _Did it work?" Aki asked, standing behind Rikichi impatiently._

 _In front of them, smoke was clearing, a figure barely visible in the middle of it. Dazed and confused, he barely registered the two people that had summoned him._

 _The last thing he remembered was falling through a fissure in the earth that he himself had created, taking the tyrant Azusa down with him. And then after that, he remembered nothing but darkness and an eternity spent in it, unable to even find his oldest brother, though he, too, was dead._

 _When the smoke cleared, he turned his attention to the two men who watched him in fascination, one who bore Azusa's crazed eyes and wild red hair, and one who resembled himself, except stockier._

" _Shiraishi Hisashi, you have been summoned to do my bidding." The black haired man sneered, his face spreading into a sickening smile._

" _No." It took a moment for Hisashi to find his voice, and when he did, it wavered. He slowly rose to his feet, hand reaching to where he knew the last wound Azusa had dealt him should be, only to be met with smooth skin beneath his torn and bloodied clothes._

 _Startled, Hisashi didn't know how to react. Was he alive? He certainly didn't feel like a corpse, but he knew that there had been no way for him to survive the fall._

" _Who are you?" He asked finally, looking up at the two men._

" _Shiraishi Rikichi, your descendant. And my friend here is Katagiri Aki, descendant of Katagiri Azusa. As I mentioned before, you have been summoned here to do my bidding. You should not be able to disobey me." The violet eyed man spoke, smirking._

" _Test it, Rikichi. Make him do something." Aki encouraged, staring at Hisashi as if he were a juicy piece of meat._

" _Ah, yes, let's see...Hisashi, break your finger." Rikichi crossed his arms and waited for him to comply._

" _Are you insane?!" Hisashi demanded, confused beyond belief and disgusted that this lowlife believed he could command him. Most of all, he was horrified that his supposed descendant was working with a member of the Katagiri clan. "I am not yours to command, and even if I were, I would never follow the orders of a traitor. You have betrayed the Yuki...no, the Shiraishi clan!"_

" _Ah, I see you've decided to bring him back despite my being against it. I did warn you that it would not work out the way you wished it to." Bushy red hair barely contained by a tight braid, Katagiri Azusa stepped into the room. "With the ritual you used, he does not have to follow your commands. Just as I do not have to follow your commands. I trust you believe me now? I told you that I was following your orders by choice and not necessity."_

 _Both Aki and Rikichi turned their attention to Azusa, and Hisashi took that chance to work on focusing his chakra on the wall behind him. Though exhausted and not recovered from his summoning, he knew he could not stay in this situation._

 _Hisashi had no weapons, except for himself and his chakra, and he knew it would not be enough to take out all three of these lunatics on his own._

 _He ignored the trio when they began to bicker, letting ice spread from his fingers towards the wall he had focused his chakra on. It took only a moment for his ice to sink into the wall behind him._

 _Hisashi rose to his feet slowly, his legs nearly collapsing beneath him. Once he was standing, he began to feel better, his strength returning to him. "Not to interrupt your discussion, but I'll be leaving now."_

 _The trio all turned their heads in his direction, their expressions hardening. You're not leaving!" Azusa snarled like a feral cat and pounced at him immediately while the two men watched in alarm._

 _Hisashi dropped to the ground, and the wall burst behind him at his will, shrapnel and debris spraying across the room._

 _Using the diversion to his advantage, Hisashi staggered to his feet and stumbled to the hole in the wall. It was unlikely that he would make it very far without help in his weakened state, but he knew he had to try. Once he was safe, he could try to figure out what was going on, and where Emi and the twins were._

 _Hisashi climbed through the hole and sprinted away as fast as he could._

 _It was his duty to protect his sister and his nephews, given to him by his older brother, Ikki. He did not intend to fail in his duty._

 _He did not realize that everyone he held dear was long dead, and that he was in a world far different from the one he once knew._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and that you enjoy this one too! I have two announcements! First, remember that poll I mentioned several chapters ago about an extra story about the Shiraishi clan, Katagiri clan, and Jin's life before he came to the leaf? The results of the poll were in favor of it, and so I plan on posting the first part of it the same time I post the next chapter of Remnants! Second, I have posted a new story titled 'Kintsukuroi' and my plan is for it to be a little more light-hearted than Remnants.**

 **Thank you all for continuing to read, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter, so please don't afraid to leave a review!**


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